| Summary/Abstract |
The Second Separate Edict is a training module for our foreign policy analysts and diplomats. The Emperor assures his neighbouring countries that his intention is not that they should suffer because of him. Rather they ‘should trust in him, and should have in their dealings with him only happiness and no sorrow. They should understand that the king will forgive them as far as they can be forgiven, and that through him they should follow Dhamma and gain this world and the next.' Surely, this was a nice way to take the unconquered territories into confidence and to reassure them as the monarch had a vast standing army to safeguard his people and domain. This would definitely have made his neighbours nervous. However, the method through which the policy of Dhamma was able to spread far and wide by Ashoka was not due to vast army but because his leadership had gems like vision, conviction, cooperation, peace, persuasion, harmony, mutual benefit, faith and truth. The very same qualities which separate legends from the ordinary men and the limited sectarian beliefs from the teaching of Buddha, which is Dhamma.
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