About this person
Ashoka, known as Ashoka the Great, was Emperor of Magadha and the third ruler of the Maurya dynasty. He reigned from approximately 268 BCE until his death, and his empire encompassed much of the Indian subcontinent.
In the eighth year of his reign, he conquered Kalinga after a brutal war. According to his own inscriptions, he then devoted himself to spreading dharma, or right conduct, and gradually embraced Buddhism.
Buddhist traditions credit him with founding stupas, supporting the Third Buddhist Council and missionaries, and making generous donations to the sangha. The Lion Capital from one of his pillars inspired India's State Emblem, and the Ashoka Chakra forms part of the Indian flag.