Why did Priyadarshi, Emperor Ashoka, persecute the Brahmins?
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definition
"Religious power, once it gains dominance, inevitably becomes intolerant, revealing the sectarian mind that transcends individual actions."
According to Osho, Ashoka’s persecution of Brahmins wasn’t a personal aberration but an expression of the ‘Indian mind’—a cultural habit of religious power turning intolerant. Once Buddhism gained imperial backing, it behaved like any organized faith in power; Buddhists, too, would burn Hindus. The issue is sectarian mindsets, not Ashoka’s individuality.
He did it because groups in power often hurt other groups, and that was a common mindset then—not just Ashoka’s personal choice.
Why this matters practically
- Helps you recognize how religion mixed with power can breed intolerance.
- Encourages choosing awareness and compassion over labels and camps.
- Reminds you to question any ideology when it seeks control over others.
- Encourages choosing awareness and compassion over labels and camps.
- Reminds you to question any ideology when it seeks control over others.
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