The original Sankrit text of the Asokavadana was published for the first time in 1886. Messre Cowell & Neil intluded it in the Divyavadana.
No attempt had been made to re-edit this important and ancient text for almost a century. That the Sanskrit text is very old is proved by the fact that the first Chinese translation was made by Parthian Fa-ch’in A. D. 300. The work rapidly became popular in China and other scholars made fresh translations at various times. As late as A.D. 506-523 Sanghabhara revised the whole of the text.
Prof. Sujitkumar Mukhopadhyaya of Visva-Bharati who has edited and published a number of old Sanskrit texts comparing them with their Chinese and Tibetan translations has edited the Asokavadana, critically comparing it with its oldest Chinese versions.
The Asokavadana has thus been made available in an authoritative and accurate form. It is enriched by a scholarly introduction in English, translation of certain sections, and various Appendixes and Notes which, it is hoped, will be found useful.
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