"Thus speaks King Priyadarsin, Beloved of the Gods: I have had this Dhamma edict written for the following purpose: that it may endure for a long time, and that my sons and grandsons and great-grandson…"

"The beloved of the gods speaks thus: This Dhamma edict was written twenty-six years after my coronation."

"The Beloved of the Gods, King Piyadasi, speaks thus: The slaughter, death, and deportation of people is extremely painful to the Beloved of the Gods."

"The beloved of the gods, king Piyadasi, speaks thus: Father and mother should be respected, and so should elders, kindness to living beings should be made strong, and the truth should be spoken."

"I have appointed Dhamma-Mahamatras when I had been consecrated thirteen years. They are employed among all sects for the establishment of Dhamma, for the promotion of Dhamma, and for the welfare and h…"