Bindusara's religious policies

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Bindusara’s Religious Policies

After Chandragupta Maurya renounced his throne, his son Bindusara (r. 297–273 BCE) became the second ruler of the Mauryan Empire. Unlike his father, who embraced Jainism, and his son Ashoka, who later followed Buddhism, Bindusara is known for his support of the Ajivika sect and religious tolerance. His reign marks an interesting phase in Mauryan religious policies, where statecraft and diplomacy were prioritized over personal religious inclinations.

Bindusara and the Ajivika Sect

  • The Ajivikas were a lesser-known but influential religious sect during the Mauryan period.

  • Their beliefs centered around Niyati (fate or destiny)—they taught that everything in life was preordained and human actions could not change one’s destiny.

  • Bindusara was a patron of Ajivikas, providing them with grants and support.

  • Ashoka later continued this support, as seen in the Barabar Caves inscriptions, where he dedicated caves to Ajivika monks.

Religious Tolerance Under Bindusara

  • Bindusara did not impose any one religion on his empire. Instead, he allowed all religious groups to practice freely.

  • Hinduism (Brahmanism), Buddhism, Jainism, and local folk traditions coexisted under his rule.

  • Unlike Ashoka, he did not actively promote any ethical or moral doctrine like Dhamma, but he ensured peaceful religious coexistence.

Foreign Relations and Religious Diplomacy

  • Bindusara maintained diplomatic relations with Greek Hellenistic rulers, including Antiochus I of the Seleucid Empire and Ptolemy II of Egypt.

  • According to Greek sources, he requested the Greek king Antiochus I to send him figs, sweet wine, and a philosopher, suggesting an interest in foreign knowledge and possibly Greek philosophical traditions.

  • This indicates that Greek and Persian influences may have played a role in shaping the religious and intellectual landscape of his court.

Bindusara’s Influence on Mauryan Religious Policies

  • His support for Ajivikas helped the sect gain royal patronage, though it eventually declined after the Mauryan period.

  • He set the foundation for religious neutrality, a policy that allowed Ashoka to later experiment with and promote his own ideas of Dhamma.

  • Unlike Ashoka, Bindusara saw religion more as a tool of governance than as a personal mission.

Conclusion

Bindusara’s reign was a transition period in Mauryan religious policies. While he personally favored the Ajivikas, he did not enforce his beliefs on the empire. His policies paved the way for Ashoka’s later religious transformation, which brought Buddhism to the forefront of Indian and global history.

In the next part of this series, we will explore Ashoka’s early religious beliefs before his transformation into a Buddhist ruler.😊 

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