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THE GREAT BUDDHIST KINGS carried into captivity, and vast numbers perished from famine and disease. In other words, the king was then just such a one as we are used to reading about in the annals of Christendom and heathenesse-one through whom the Matsya Nyāya, the law of the fishes, 48 operates without suspension. Immediately following his acceptance of the new faith, however, an edict unique in human history was set up in stone; unique, not because of what it says (for many kings have circulated pious proclamations), but because throughout the remainder of this king's career the war drum was no longer heard. "Subsequent to the annexation of the Kalingas," it is declared, "His Sacred Majesty's zealous protection of the Dhamma began, his love of that Dhamma, and his giving instruction therein. Thus arose His Sacred Majesty's remorse for having conquered the Kalingas, because the conquest of a country previously unconquered involves the slaughter, death, and carrying away captive of the people. Thus of all the people who were then slain, done to death, or carried away captive in the Kalingas, if the hundredth or the thousandth part were to suffer the same fate, it would now be matter of regret to His Sacred Majesty. Moreover, should any one do him wrong that too must be borne with by His Sacred Majesty, if it can possibly be borne with. . . . His Sacred Majesty desires that all animate beings should have security, self-control, peace of mind, and joyousness. . . . And for this purpose has this pious edict been written in order that my sons and grandsons, who may be, should not regard it as their duty to conquer a new conquest. If, perchance, they become engaged in a conquest by arms, they should take pleasure in patience and gentleness and regard as the only true conquest the conquest won by piety. That avails for both this world and the next. Let all joy be in effort, because that avails for both this world and the next.” 47
The general laws of history, however, were not as yet undone; 46 Cf. supra, pp. 36 and 119. +7 Rock Edict XIII; as cited by Coomaraswamy, op. cit., p. 183.
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