Legend of King Asoka: A Study and Translation of the Asokavadana

This is a book to get if you are doing any research on Asoka. It goes into some depth about the written texts of and about this monarch and explains the limits of their reliability quite well. Like the Xian Gospels much of the legacy of Asoka is part history, part hagiography. The exceptions are the pillars (stupas) which he had set up across the width and breadth of his kingdom. While reference is made to the texts of many of them, they are not included in translation in this volume. The thrust of this book is to clarify the position of the Asokavadana and smaller, fragmentary references to this unique ruler; it has a full translation not only of the Asokavedana but numerous other texts referring to him (albeit in hagiographic terms) in Part Two of Strong's excellent work. It has an excellent bibliography for those who wish to dig deeper.

I've always found Asoka to be an interesting figure. I've owned books with translations of his pillar and rock edicts but I could never find a narrative account of his reign. Then someone pointed out this book.This book is basically a bunch of Buddhist fairy tales.

Very good

Excellent book for both persons interested in Asoka’s edicts and tales and the Buddhist tradition at the time.

The media could not be loaded.  Good Book on legendary king