A.–East Face of Pillar.
(A) 11 Devānaṃpiye Piyadasi lājā hevaṃ āhā
(B) ye atikaṃtaṃ 12 aṃtalaṃ lājāne husu hevaṃ ichisu kathaṃ jane 13 dhaṃma-vaḍhiyā vaḍheyā no cu jane anulupāyā dhaṃma-vaḍhiyā 14 vaḍhithā
(C) etaṃ Devānaṃpiye Piyadasi lājā hevaṃ āhā
(D) esa me 15 huthā
(E) atikaṃtaṃ ca aṃtaṃl[a]ṃ hevaṃ ichisu lājāne kathaṃ jane 16 anulupāyā dhaṃma-vaḍhiyā vaḍheyā ti no ca jane anulupāyā 17 dhaṃma-vaḍhiyā vaḍhithā
(F) se kinasu jane anu[pa]ṭipajeyā
(G) 18 kinasu jane anulupāyā dhaṃma-vaḍhiyā vaḍheyā ti
(H) k[i]nasu kāni 19 abhyuṃnāmayehaṃ dhaṃma-vaḍhiyā ti
(I) etaṃ Devānaṃpiye Piyadasi lājā hevaṃ 20 āhā
(J) esa me huthā
(K) dhaṃma-sāvanāni sāvāpayāmi dhaṃmānusathini 21 anus[ā]sāmi
(L) etaṃ jane sutu anupaṭīpajīsati abhyuṃnamisati
B.–Round the Pillar.
22 dhaṃma-vaḍhiya ca baḍhaṃ vaḍhisat[i]
(M) etāye me aṭhāye dhaṃma-sāvanāni sāvāpitāni dhaṃmānusathini vividhāni ānapitāni [ya] ..... [is]ā pi bahune janasi āyatā e te paliyovadisaṃti pi pavithalisaṃti pi
(N) lajūkā pi bahukesu pāna-sata-sahasesu āyatā te pi me ānapitā hevaṃ ca hevaṃ ca paliyovadātha 23 janaṃ dhaṃma-yu[ta]ṃ
(O) [Dev]ānampiye Piyadasi hevaṃ āhā
(P) etameva me anuvekhamāne dhaṃma-thaṃbhāni kaṭāni dhaṃma-mahāmātā kaṭā dhaṃ[ma] . ā ... e kaṭe
(Q) Devānaṃpiye Piyadasi lājā hevaṃ āhā
(R) magesu pi me nigohāni lopāpitāni chāyopagāni hosaṃti pasu-munisānaṃ aṃbā-vaḍikyā lopāpitā
(S) aḍha-[kos]ikyāni pi me udupānāni 24 khānāpāpitāni niṃsi[ḍha]yā ca kālāpitā
(T) āpānāni me ba[h]ukāni tata tata k[ā]lāpitāni paṭībhogāye p[a]su-munisānaṃ
(U) [la] ...... esa paṭībhoge nāma
(V) vividhāyā hi sukhāyanāyā pulimehi pi lājīhi mamayā ca sukhayite loke
(W) imaṃ cu dhaṃmānupaṭīpatī anupaṭīpajaṃtu ti etadathā me 25 esa kaṭe
(X) Devānaṃpiye Piyadasi hevaṃ āhā
(Y) dhamṃa-mahāmātā pi me te bahuvidhesu aṭhesu ānugahikesu viyāpaṭāse pavajītānaṃ ceva gihithānaṃ ca sava . . . . [ḍ]esu pi ca viyāpaṭāse
(Z) saṃghaṭhasi pi me kaṭe ime viyāpaṭā hohaṃti ti hemeva bābhanesu ā[j]īvikesu pi me kaṭe 26 ime viyāpaṭā hohaṃti ti nigaṃṭhesu pi me kaṭe ime viyāpaṭā hohaṃti nānā-pāsaṃḍesu pi me [ka]ṭe ime viyāpaṭā hohaṃti ti paṭivisiṭhaṃ paṭīvisiṭhaṃ tesu tesu [te] ...... mātā
(AA) dhaṃma-mahāmātā cu me etesu ceva viyā[pa]ṭā savesu ca aṃnesu pāsaṃḍesu
(BB) Devānaṃpiye Piyadasi lājā hevaṃ āhā
(CC) 27 ete ca aṃne ca bahukā mukhā dāna-visagasi viyāpaṭāse mama ceva devinaṃ ca savasi ca me olodhanasi te bahuvidhena ā[kā]lena tāni tāni tuṭhāyatan[ā]ni paṭī ........ hida ceva disāsu ca
(DD) dālakānaṃ pi ca me kaṭe aṃnānaṃ ca devi-kumālānaṃ ime dāna-visagesu viyāpaṭā hohaṃti ti 28 dhaṃmāpadānaṭhāye dhaṃmānupaṭipatiye
(EE) esa hi dhaṃmāpadāne dhaṃmapaṭīpati ca yā iyaṃ dayā dāne sace socave madave sādha[v]e ca lokasa hevaṃ vaḍhisati ti
(FF) Devānaṃpiye [P ..... s . l]ājā hevaṃ āhā
(GG) yāni hi [k]ānici mamiyā sādhavāni kaṭāni taṃ loke anūp[a]ṭīpaṃne taṃ ca anuvidhiyaṃti
(HH) tena vaḍhitā ca 29 vaḍhisaṃti ca mātā-pit[i]su sususāyā gulusu sususāyā vayo-mahālakānaṃ anupaṭīpatiyā bābhana-samanesu kapana-valākesu āva dāsa-bhaṭakesu saṃpaṭīpatiya
(II) Devānaṃp[iy . . . ya]dasi lājā hevaṃ āhā
(JJ) munisānaṃ cu yā iyaṃ dhaṃma-vaḍhi vaḍhitā duvehi yeva ākālehi dhaṃmaniyamena ca a nijhatiyā [ca]
(KK) 30 tata cu lahu se dhaṃma-niyame nijhatiyā va bhuye
(LL) dhaṃma-niyame cu kho esa ye me iyaṃ kaṭe imāni ca imāni jātāni avadhiyāni
(MM) aṃnāni pi cu bahu[k] ... dhaṃma-niyamāni yāni me kaṭāni
(NN) nijhatiyā vā cu bhuye munisānaṃ dhaṃma-vaḍhi vaḍhitā avihiṃsaye bhutānaṃ 31 analaṃbhāye pānānaṃ
(OO) se etāye a[th]āye iyaṃ kaṭe putā-papotike caṃdama-suliyike hotu ti tathā ca anupaṭīpajaṃtu ti
(PP) hevaṃ hi anupaṭīpajaṃtaṃ hi[da]ta-[pāla]te āladhe hoti
(QQ) satavisati-vasābhis[i]tena me iyaṃ dhaṃma-libi likhāpāpitā ti
(RR) etaṃ Devānaṃpiye āhā
(SS) iyaṃ 32 dhaṃma-libi ata athi silā-thaṃbhāni vā silā-phalakāni vā tata kaṭaviyā ena esa cila-ṭhitike siyā
(A) King Devānaṃpriya Priyadadin speaks thus.
(B) The kings who were in times past, had this desire, that men might (be made to) progress by the promotion of morality; but men were not made to progress by an adequate promotion of morality.
(C) Concerning this, king Devānāṃpriya Priyadarśin speaks thus.
(D) The following occurred to me.
(E) On one hand, in times past kings had this desire, that men might (be made to) progress by an adequate promotion of morality; (but) on the other hand, men were not made to progress by an adequate promotion of morality.
(F) How then might men (be made to) conform to (morality)?
(G) How might men (be made to) progress by an adequate promotion of morality?
(H) How could I elevate them by the promotion of morality?
(I) Concerning this, king Devānāṃpriya Priyadarśin speaks thus.
(J) The following occurred to me.
(K) I shall issue proclamations on morality, (and) shall order instruction in morality (to be given).
(L) Hearing this, men will conform to (it), will be elevated, and will (be made to) progress considerably by the promotion of morality.
(M) For this purpose proclamations on morality were issued by me, (and) manifold instruction in morality was ordered (to be given), [in order that those agents] (of mine) too, who are occupied with many people, will exhort (them) and will explain (morality to them) in detail.
(N) The Lajūkas also, who are occupied with many hundred thousands of men, – these too were ordered by me: ‘In such and such a manner exhort ye the people who are devoted to morality’.
(O) Devānaṃpriya Priyadarśin speaks thus.
(P) Having in view this very (matter), I have set up pillars of morality, appointed Mahāmātras of morality, (and) issued [proclamations] on morality.
(Q) King Devānāṃpriya Priyadarśin speaks thus.
(R) On the roads. banyan-trees were caused to be planted by me, (in order that) they might afford shade to cattle and men, (and) mango-groves were caused to be planted.
(S) And (at intervals) of eight kos wells were caused to be dug by me, and flights of steps (for descending into the water) were caused to be built.
(T) Numerous drinking-places were caused to be established by me, here and there, for the enjoyment of cattle and men.
(U) [But] this so-called enjoyment (is) [of little consequence].
(V) For with various comforts have the people been blessed both by former kings and by myself.
(W) But by me this has been done for the following purpose: that they might conform to that practice of morality.
(X) Devānāṃpriya Priyadarśin speaks thus.
(Y) Those my Mahāmātras of morality too are occupied with affairs of many kinds which are beneficial to ascetics as well as to householders, and they are occupied also with all sects.
(Z) Some (Mahāmātras) were ordered by me to busy themselves with the affairs of the Samgha; likewise others were ordered by me to busy themselves also with the Brāhmaṇas (and) Ājīvikas; others were ordered by me to busy themselves also with the Nirgranthas; others were ordered by me to busy themselves also with various (other) sects; (thus) different Mahāmātras (are busying themselves} specially with different (congregations).
(AA) But my Mahāmātras of morality are occupied with these (congregations) as well as with all other sects.
(BB) King Devānāṃpriya Priyadarśin speaks thus.
(CC) Both these and many other chief (officers) are occupied with the delivery of the gifts of myself as well as of the queens, and among my whole harem [they are reporting] in diverse ways different worthy recipients of charity both here and in the provinces.
(DD) And others were ordered by me to busy themselves also with the delivery of the gifts of (my) sons and of other queens’ sons; in order (to promote) noble deeds of morality (and) the practice of morality.
(EE) For noble deeds of morality and the practice of morality (consist in) this, that (morality), viz. compassion, liberality, truthfulness, purity, gentleness, and goodness, will thus be promoted among men.
(FF) King Devānāṃpriya Priyadarśin speaks thus.
(GG) Whatsoever good deeds have been performed by me, those the people have imitated, and to those they are conforming.
(HH) Thereby they have been made to progress and will (be made to) progress in obedience to mother and father, in obedience to elders, in courtesy to the aged, in courtesy to Brāhmaṇas and Śramaṇas, to the poor and distressed, (and) even to slaves and servants.
(II) King Devānāṃpriya Priyadarśin speaks thus.
(JJ) Now this progress of morality among men has been promoted (by me) only in two ways, (viz.) by moral restrictions and by conversion.
(KK) But among these (two), those moral restrictions are of little consequence; by conversion, however, (morality is promoted) more considerably.
(LL) Now moral restrictions indeed are these, that I have ordered this, (that) certain animals are inviolable.
(MM) But there are also many other moral restrictions which have been imposed by me.
(NN) By conversion, however, the progress of morality among men has been promoted more considerably, (because it leads) to abstention from hurting living beings (and) to abstention from killing animals.
(OO) Now for the following purpose has this been ordered, that it may last as long as (my) sons and great-grandsons (shall reign and) as long as the moon and the sun (shall shine), and in order that (men) may conform to it.
(PP) For if one conforms to this, (happiness) in this (world) and in the other (world) will be attained.
(QQ) This rescript on morality was caused to be written by me (when I had been) anointed twenty-seven years.
(RR) Concerning this, Devānaṃpriya says.
(SS) This rescript on morality must be engraved there, where either stone pillars or stone slabs are (available), in order that his may be of long duration.
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