Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Dynasty (c. 268-232 BCE) governed almost the entire Indian subcontinent and experienced a dramatic conversion to Buddhism, reportedly becoming remorseful for having ordered deaths of tens of thousands in his conquests, leading him to shift toward sponsoring Buddhist missionary efforts across his kingdom and abroad

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Unidentified Speaker — The Ancient Greeks Who Converted to Buddhism [aA0wB3d7MgE]

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Ashoka may have had a dramatic conversion experience himself and a few times in his edicts he references being overcome with remorse for having ordered the deaths of tens of thousands of people in his conquests one edict reads from that time onwards compassion and sadness overcame him and he was heavily distressed by the ways he had acted after turning to Buddhism he apparently sponsored missionary efforts across his kingdom and abroad

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The Ancient Greeks Who Converted to BuddhismReligionForBreakfast
Created: 8/11/2026, 1:29:40 AM

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