ChandraguptaEssay Preview: ChandraguptaReport this essayThe powerful rulers, Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka, created comparable political and economic systems during the time in which each of them ruled India. Chandragupta Maurya took control over small regional kingdoms in the ruling dynasty, and made them into one empire, the Mauryan Empire, of which he then became ruler. Chandragupta’s political advisor, Kautalya, advised Chandragupta on political policies and government. Some of his advice can be found in the Indian political handbook called Arthashastra. With Kautalya’s help, Chandragupta Maurya made the Mauryan Empire the first state to establish a centralized government in India. This form of government was `taken from the Persians because it worked so well. Ashoka followed his grandfather’s example by instituting a centralized government in India during his rein. Governors from each of the regional kingdoms would have a member of the royal family who would govern over them and report to the central government. Chandragupta Maurya and Kautalya formed a bureaucratic administrative system, which enabled them to make policies that applied to the entire state. Ashoka also applied this idea to India during his reign. Both rulers made certain that agriculture continued to expand, thereby increasing their economy. Both of them used spies to help ensure security and keep out foreigners. With Kautalya’s influence, they both collected taxes and had a central treasury that looked over the collection of taxes. This offered many new jobs such as accountants, clerks, and officials. Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka were both extremely influential rulers that established similar political and economic systems during each of their reigns.
Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka had many differences in the way in which they ruled. Chandragupta Maurya ruled ruthlessly and sternly, but later converted to Jainism and became a Jain monk. Ashoka practiced Buddhism and was a very caring and humane ruler. Chandragupta Maurya was a warrior and adventurer who conquered small regions in order to establish his own empire. Ashoka, likewise, conquered Kalinga during a bloody war. Although unlike Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka hated the violence so much that he turned to Buddhism. Ashoka’s Buddhist beliefs played a key role in the way he ruled. He imposed his views upon his people and helped spread the religion throughout the state. Ashoka practiced non-violence, ahimsa, a major part of Buddhism. Chandragupta continued to rule pitilessly. Any suspected traitor would receive the death penalty, or worse, an 18-day cycle of
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. (See more in this post on the Chandragupta Maurya Rebellion and Buddhism in India post, “Moral, Political, and Religious Warfare in India.”)
To see a transcript of Chapter 7, “How Chandragupta and his Cult Changed India in 1636, 1647, and 1650, see the following:
[The Jain monk Chandragupta Maurya] began to rule over other Jains from 1643, 1702, 1715, 1718. Because of his loyalty to Jains, Chandragupta Maurya was an important figure in Indian Buddhism. He took great care that his followers were not exposed to Jains, nor did they want to be exposed, especially to Jains who were being taught in a country that existed in absolute isolation. After the death a number of Jains were given over by him to another Jain, to which Chandragupta Maurya was attached. (In Indian Buddhism) this was the period where the state became a great and independent nation. As the state became increasingly isolated, it became increasingly difficult to obtain employment. Chandragupta Maurya would go to great lengths to secure employment in his own country, so Chandragupta Maurya became a frequent travel companion for Jains and other Jains. He also traveled to a number of countries, for which these were named.
The first time that Chandragupta Maurya travelled to a Jain country on a large Buddhist pilgrimage was around 1620, when he had a conversation with a priest in his town in the Ganges area of Madhya Pradesh. Chandragupta Maurya wanted to travel to China because it was a country where the monasteries were open and where he could get some good food. As the monk moved into China, he began to see many jade and other gems at the chit-houses and other places in his community (the first Chinese chit-houses on the Tibetan plateau were built in 1737). Chandragupta Maurya had visited several Tibetans on trips throughout the 16th century, including one in 1818. There were also an earlier number of Jains. Chandragupta Maurya and his followers were also in China for long visits. There were also many jade shops scattered around the Chinese village of Kinshasa in the Kinshasa area of Madhya Pradesh, but the village itself was not particularly important to Chandragupta Maurya. (Note: The Indian government later included in India-wide census of Hindu-origin population of Madhya Pradesh as part of its constitution the designation as “Maharishi Dravidian” or Indian-born people due to the fact that this census is counted by the census commission as the only time the jade shops were there). In 1652 the Jains were introduced into the temple of AshokaеřÐ and he was the first Jain king from Madhya Pradesh (the other Jains were introduced into Madhya Pradesh and the Jains soon thereafter in India.) Chandragupta had his own house in Kinshasa. (The Jains had lived in it since the early
m
. (See more in this post on the Chandragupta Maurya Rebellion and Buddhism in India post, “Moral, Political, and Religious Warfare in India.”)
To see a transcript of Chapter 7, “How Chandragupta and his Cult Changed India in 1636, 1647, and 1650, see the following:
[The Jain monk Chandragupta Maurya] began to rule over other Jains from 1643, 1702, 1715, 1718. Because of his loyalty to Jains, Chandragupta Maurya was an important figure in Indian Buddhism. He took great care that his followers were not exposed to Jains, nor did they want to be exposed, especially to Jains who were being taught in a country that existed in absolute isolation. After the death a number of Jains were given over by him to another Jain, to which Chandragupta Maurya was attached. (In Indian Buddhism) this was the period where the state became a great and independent nation. As the state became increasingly isolated, it became increasingly difficult to obtain employment. Chandragupta Maurya would go to great lengths to secure employment in his own country, so Chandragupta Maurya became a frequent travel companion for Jains and other Jains. He also traveled to a number of countries, for which these were named.
The first time that Chandragupta Maurya travelled to a Jain country on a large Buddhist pilgrimage was around 1620, when he had a conversation with a priest in his town in the Ganges area of Madhya Pradesh. Chandragupta Maurya wanted to travel to China because it was a country where the monasteries were open and where he could get some good food. As the monk moved into China, he began to see many jade and other gems at the chit-houses and other places in his community (the first Chinese chit-houses on the Tibetan plateau were built in 1737). Chandragupta Maurya had visited several Tibetans on trips throughout the 16th century, including one in 1818. There were also an earlier number of Jains. Chandragupta Maurya and his followers were also in China for long visits. There were also many jade shops scattered around the Chinese village of Kinshasa in the Kinshasa area of Madhya Pradesh, but the village itself was not particularly important to Chandragupta Maurya. (Note: The Indian government later included in India-wide census of Hindu-origin population of Madhya Pradesh as part of its constitution the designation as “Maharishi Dravidian” or Indian-born people due to the fact that this census is counted by the census commission as the only time the jade shops were there). In 1652 the Jains were introduced into the temple of AshokaеřÐ and he was the first Jain king from Madhya Pradesh (the other Jains were introduced into Madhya Pradesh and the Jains soon thereafter in India.) Chandragupta had his own house in Kinshasa. (The Jains had lived in it since the early