Ashokavadana

The Ashokavadana (Sanskrit: अशोकावदान; IAST: Aśokāvadāna; "Narrative of Ashoka") is an Indian Sanskrit-language text that describes the birth and reign of the Maurya Emperor Ashoka. It contains legends as well as historical narratives, and glorifies Ashoka as a Buddhist emperor whose only ambition was to spread Buddhism far and wide.

Ashokavadana is one of the avadana texts contained in the Divyavadana (Divyāvadāna, "Divine Narrative"), an anthology of several Buddhist legends and narratives. According to Jean Przyluski, the text was composed by the Buddhist monks of the Mathura region, as it highly praises the city of Mathura, its monasteries and its monks. Also known as Ashokarajavadana, it was translated into Chinese by Fa Hien in 300 CE as A-yu wang chuan, and later as A-yu wang ching () in 500 CE. It was translated into French by Jean Przyluski in 1923, and in English by John S. Strong in 1983.

Annotated sections of the Ashokavadana are part of Rajendralala Mitra's (1822–91) "The Sanskrit Buddhist Literature of Nepal". Mitra extensively uses the translation made by M.E.Burnouff.

There are several versions of Ashokavadana, dating from 5th century CE to 16th century CE. According to Simon Coleman and John Elsner, the earliest finished form of the text dates back to 2nd century CE, although its oral origins may go back to 2nd century BCE.

The text begins with the stories about the Buddhist monk Upagupta, described as the spiritual teacher of Ashoka. It first describes his past lives, his birth and his youth in Mathura. It then goes on to given an account of his encounters with a courtesan named Vasavadatta and his ordination as a monk. Ashokavadana further tells of his conversion of Mara.