The legend of King Aśoka : a study and translation of the Aśokāvadāna

Contents
Foreword
Preface
PART ONE. ASOKA AND HIS LEGEND
     I. The Legend and Its Background
          The Legends and the Edicts
          A Synopsis of the Asokavadana
          The Sanskrit and Pali Recensions of the Legend
          The World of the Asokavadana
          Buddhism in Mathura and Beyond
          Conclusion
     II. Dirt and Dharma: Kingship in the Asokavadana
          Asoka the Fierce
          The Myth of the Cakravartin
          Asoka and the Cakravartin  Ideal
          The Gift of Dirt
          The Gift of Dirt and the Gift of Honey
          Conclusion
     III. King and Layman: Asoka\'s Relationship to the Buddhist Community
          Asoka and Samudra
          Asoka and Upagupta
          Asoka and Pindola Bharadvaja
          Asoka and Yasas
          Asoka\'s Offerings  to the Sangha
          The Great Quinquennial Festival
          The Gift of Half a Myrobalan
          Conclusion
     IV. Asoka and the Buddha
          Dharmakaya and Rupakaya
          The Building of the 84000 Sutra
          Asoka\'s Pilgrimage
          Asoka and the Bodhi Tree
          The Asoka Tree
          Conclusion
     V. Asoka: Master of Good Means and Merit Maker
          Asoka and his Brother Vitasoka
          Asoka and his Minister Yasas
          Cosmological Vision
          The Doctrine of Essence
          Essence and Merit Making
          Conclusion
          conspectus
PART TWO. THE LEGEND OF ASOKA: A TRANSLATION OF THE ASOKAVADANA
     Introduction to the Translation
     The Legend of Asoka
          Prologue
          Upagupta\'s Past Life
          The Sanakavasin Episode
          The Story of Vasavadatta
          Upagupta\'s  Ordination
          Upagupta and Mara
          The Gift of Dirt
          The Buddha\'s Smile
          Asoka\'s Birth
          Asoka\'s Accession
          Asoka the Fierce
          Samudra and Asoka\'s Conversion
          The 84000 Stupas
          The Legend of Vitasoka
          Vitasoka\'s Death
          Vitasoka\'s Past Life
          Asoka and His Minister Yasas
          The Meeting of Asoka and Upagupta
          Asoka\'s Pilgrimage
          The Stupas of the Buddha\'s Disciples
          The Worship of Bodhi
          Pindola Bharadvaja
          The Quinquennial Festival
          The Birth of Kunala
          The Taksasila Uprising and Asoka\'s Illness
          Kunala\'s Blinding and Enlightenment
          Kunala\'s Return
          Kunala\'s Past Life
          Asoka\'s Last Gift
          Pusyamitra  and the End of the Mauryan Line
Appendix
     Sanskrit Legends about Asoka Not Appearing in the Asokavadana
Glossary
Bibliography  of Works Cited
Index