24.
Buddhism and care: *
In the sphere of social justice, the greatest example of a ruler who followed the Buddha’s advice is King Ashoka (304–232 BC). Ashoka inherited most of N India; he worked to consolidate & extend his empire, many died. After he converted to Buddhism he felt great remorse. He adopted a policy of nonviolence: he announced amnesty for prisoners & measures for their rehabilitation; he banned the slaughter of animals; set up medicinal help for humans & animals; and established a system of messengers so all could communicate with him. Ashoka was a Buddhist, but there is little that is specifically Buddhist in his polity. He spoke of dharma, of ruling in accord with principle of righteousness that were accepted by all religions in India.
​
25.
Orders (religious) model agriculture of: *
They had a major impact as agriculturists, horse & cattle breeders. As the great farmers of those days, many of the improvements in farming operations were introduced & propagated by them. They developed systems for selling their farm produce, cattle & horses, and contributed to the commercial progress of Western Europe. The wool and cloth trade was especially fostered by the Cistercians & England was indebted to them for the beginnings of her commercial prosperity. As farming operations on large extensive monastic estates could not be carried out by the monks alone, they established a system of lay brothers (recruited from the peasantry). Their duties consisted in carrying out the various fieldworks and plying useful trades. Through this system the Cistercians played a distinctive role in the progress of European civilisation.