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Asoka (ruled 273 (?269)-232BC), was the first conqueror in history to denounce
violence, and maintain and expand his rule through "conquest by Dhamma" -
i.e. persuasion through good administration and a paternal interest
in the well-being of his subjects.

Appendix 5 translates all the edicts of Asoka.

Major Rock Edict XIII

This rock containing this edict was in Kabul museum but has disappeared 
in the upheavals of Afghanistan. 
(see http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/afghan/list.html)

	When he had been consecrated eight years the Beloved of the Gods, the
	king Piyadassi, conquered Kalinga. A hundred and fifty thousand people
	were deported [*captured and carried away*], a hundred thousand were
	killed and many times that number perished. Afterwards, now that
	Kalinga was annexed, the Beloved of the Gods very earnestly practised
	Dhamma, desired Dhamma and taught Dhamma. On conquering Kalinga the
	Beloved of the Gods felt remorse, for when an independent country is
	conquered the slaughter, death and deportation of the people is
	extremely grievous to the Beloved of the Gods and weighs heavily on
	his mind. What is even more deplorable to the Beloved of the Gods, is
	that those who dwell there, whether brahmans, shramans, or those of
	other sects, or householders who show obedience to their superiors,
	obedience to mother and father, obedience to their teachers and behave
	well and devotedly towards their friends, acquaintances, colleagues,
	relatives, slaves and servants - all suffer violence, murder and
	separation from their loved ones. Even those who are fortunate to have
	escaped and whose love is undiminished suffer from the misfortunes of
	their friends, acquaintances, colleagues and relatives. This
	participation of all men in suffering weighs heavily on the mind of
	the Beloved of the Gods.  [...]

	This inscription of Dhamma has been engraved so that any sons or great
	grandsons that I may have should not think of gaining new conquests,
	and in whatever victories they may gain should be satisfied with
	patience and light punishment. They should only consider conquests by
	Dhamma to be a true Conquest, and delight in Dhamma should be their
	whole delight, for this is of value in both this world and the next.
		- Kandahar, c. 250 AD tr. from Greek / Aramaic, R. Thapar, p.255-6

Vincent Smith wrote of Asoka, that the Kalinga war

	thus became one of the decisive events in the history of the
	world. The miseries of the campaign, the sufferings of the prisoners,
	and the wailings for the dead were soon forgotten by the vanquished,
	as they have been forgotten by other conquered nations after
	thousands of wars; but the effect which they produced upon the
	conscience of the victor is still traceable in the world of the
	twentieth century."


Links:
* The Geographical Locations of The Rock Edicts of Asoka
katinkahesselink.net
* Conscience of king Asoka: a new standard in rulership
famoushistoricalevents.net

Original texts of edict

	Greek text: (transliterated)
	δέκα ἐτῶν πληρη[....]ων βασι[λ]εὺς
	Πιοδασσης εὐσέβεια[ν ἔδ]ε[ι]ξεν τοῖς ἀν-
	θρώποις, καὶ ἀπὸ τούτου εὐσεβεστέρους
	τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐποίησεν καὶ πάντα
	εὐθηνεῖ κατὰ πᾶσαν γῆν• καὶ ἀπέχεται
	βασιλεὺς τῶν ἐμψύχων καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ δὲ
	εἲ τινες ἀκρατεῖς πέπαυνται τῆς ἀκρα-
	σίας κατὰ δύναμιν, καὶ ἐνήκοοι πατρὶ
	καὶ μητρὶ καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων παρὰ
	τὰ πρότερον καὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ λῶιον
	καὶ ἄμεινον κατὰ πάντα ταῦτα
	ποιοῦντες διάξουσιν.
	
	
	Aramaic
	
	שנן 10 פתיתו עביד זי מראן פרידארש מלכא קשיטא מהקשט
	מן אדין זעיר מרעא לכלהם אנשן וכלהם אדושיא הובד
	ובכל ארקא ראם שתי ואף זי זנה כמאכלא למראן מלכא זעיר
	קטלן זנה למחזה כלהם אנשן אתהחסינן אזי נוניא אחדן
	אלך אנשן פתיזבת כנם זי פרבסת הוין אלך אתהחסינן מן
	פרבסתי והופתיסתי לאמוהי ולאבוהי ולמזישתיא אנסן
	איך אסרהי חלקותא ולא איתי דינא לכלהם אנשיא חסין
	זנה הותיר לכלהם אנשן ואוסף יהותר.
	
	Translation

	Ten years (of reign) having been completed, King
	Piodasses (one of the titles of Ashoka: Piyadassi,
	"He who is the beloved of the Gods and who regards
	everyone amiably") made known (the doctrine of)
	Piety (Greek:εὐσέβεια, Eusebeia) to men; and from this moment he has made
	men more pious, and everything thrives throughout
	the whole world. And the king abstains from (killing)
	living beings, and other men and those who (are)
	huntsmen and fishermen of the king have desisted
	from hunting. And if some (were) intemperate, they
	have ceased from their intemperance as was in their
	power; and obedient to their father and mother and to
	the elders, in opposition to the past also in the future,
	by so acting on every occasion, they will live better
	and more happily. (Trans. by G. P. Carratelli[2])

Contents

List of Plates	 x
Abbreviations	 xi
1. The background and the sources	 1
2. Early life, accession and chronology of the reign of Asoka 20
3. Society and economic activity	 55
4. Internal administration and foreign relations	 94
5. The policy of Dhamma	 137
6. The later Mauryas	 182
Conclusion	 213

Appendices
1. The Date of the Arthasastra	 218
2. The Titles of Asoka	 226
3. The Geograohical Locations of the Edicts	 228
4. Pottery and Coins of the Mauryan Period	 239
5. A Translation of the Edicts of Asoka	250
6. Mauryan Art	 267

Afterword	 271
Bibliography	 322
Index	 333