Which Indian emperor promoted Buddhism across Asia and issued rock edicts?

• A. Ashoka
• B. Chandragupta Maurya
• C. Harsha
• D. Kanishka

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is how a ruler used inscriptions to spread Buddhism and shape governance across vast areas. Ashoka stands out because his reign marked a deliberate, organized campaign to promote Buddhism through public inscriptions. After the Kalinga War, he embraced the Buddhist path and framed his rule around the Dharma—moral governance, welfare, and nonviolence. He had rock and pillar edicts carved across a wide stretch of his empire and beyond, communicating these ideas in local languages and scripts and encouraging Buddhist missionary activity. This edict network helped propagate Buddhist ideas far outside India, influencing regions that became important centers of Buddhist culture along the Silk Road and in Sri Lanka. The combination of state-backed Buddhist promotion and widespread, durable inscriptions is the hallmark of Ashoka’s contribution, making him the best answer. Other rulers did support Buddhism, but none are as closely associated with the famous rock edicts and the broad, cross-border spread that Ashoka achieved.