Final answer:
Ashoka the Great implemented policies reflecting his conversion to Buddhism, focusing on non-violence, benevolence, public welfare, and extensive cultural patronage. His religious edicts were inscribed on pillars throughout India, emphasizing moral governance over military conquest.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ashoka the Great's Policy on Religion
After the battle of Kalinga in 260 BCE, which resulted in immense loss of life, Ashoka the Great experienced profound remorse and consequently converted to Buddhism. This pivotal transformation led to significant changes in his policies as a ruler. Ashoka became a patron of Buddhism, renouncing violence and implementing reforms to align with the Buddhist principles of non-violence and compassion. He endeavored to rule with benevolence, establishing welfare programs, promoting vegetarianism, and constructing public works such as roads, wells, hospitals, and rest-houses.
Ashoka's devotion to Buddhism also shaped his diplomatic and cultural policies. He supported international missionary efforts to spread Buddhism beyond India to regions like Sri Lanka and Burma. Domestically, he expressed his policies through edicts inscribed on Pillars of Ashoka, which served to unify his empire and communicate his commitment to providing a just and caring governance to his subjects. Unlike his predecessors who glorified military victories, Ashoka's pillars conveyed messages of peace and moral governance. Furthermore, he influenced the arts by commissioning monuments, sculptures, and structures that reflected Buddhist imagery and philosophy, which also solidified his status and virtuous rule.