Page 223 "Sources from the Past" Answer

The story from the Ashokavadana would appeal to early Buddhists, firstly, because it shows the King Ashoka prostrating himself to the Buddha and respecting Buddhist monks. This probably increased the Buddhist religion's popularity as it showed that the king endorsed their religion. Another reason that the Buddhists would have liked this story is because King Ashoka is undermining the importance of the caste system. He is saying that everyone should be equal in class and that people should only be judged and treated based on their qualities, just as the Buddhists as preached. For these reasons, this story must have appealed to the Buddhist monks who probably took pride in the king's endorsement.