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Asoka (ruled 273 (?269)-232BC), was the first conqueror in history to denounce
violence, and maintain and expand his rule through "conquest by Dhamma" - 
i.e. persuasion through good administration and a paternal interest
in the well-being of his subjects.

Appendix 5 translates all the edicts of Asoka. 

--Major Rock Edict XIII

When he had been consecrated eight years the Beloved of the Gods, the king
Piyadassi, conquered Kalinga. A hundred and fifty thousand people were
deported [*captured and carried away*], a hundred thousand were killed and
many times that number perished. Afterwards, now that Kalinga was annexed,
the Beloved of the Gods very earnestly practised Dhamma, desired Dhamma and
taught Dhamma. On conquering Kalinga the Beloved of the Gods felt remorse,
for when an independent country is conquered the slaughter, death and
deportation of the people is extremely grievous to the Beloved of the Gods
and weighs heavily on his mind. What is even more deplorable to the Beloved
of the Gods, is that those who dwell there, whether brahmans, shramans, or
those of other sects, or householders who show obedience to their
superiors, obedience to mother and father, obedience to their teachers and
behave well and devotedly towards their friends, acquaintances, colleagues,
relatives, slaves and servants - all suffer violence, murder and separation
from their loved ones. Even those who are fortunate to have escaped and
whose love is undiminished suffer from the misfortunes of their friends,
acquaintances, colleagues and relatives. This participation of all men in
suffering weighs heavily on the mind of the Beloved of the Gods.
[...]

This inscription of Dhamma has been engraved so that any sons or great
grandsons that I may have should not think of gaining new conquests, and in
whatever victories they may gain should be satisfied with patience and light
punishment. They should only consider conquests by Dhamma to be a true
Conquest, and delight in Dhamma should be their whole delight, for this is of
value in both this world and the next.
	- Kandahar, c. 250 AD tr. from Greek / Aramaic, R. Thapar, p.255-6

Vincent Smith wrote of Asoka, that the Kalinga war 

	thus became one of the decisive events in the history of the
	world. The miseries of the campaign, the sufferings of the prisoners,
	and the wailings for the dead were soon forgotten by the vanquished,
	as they have been forgotten by other conquered nations after
	thousands of wars; but the effect which they produced upon the
	conscience of the victor is still traceable in the world of the
	twentieth century.”


--Original Edict stone lost from Kabul museum)
This rock containing this edict was in Kabul museum but has disappeared. 

The following artifacts are among the stolen or imperiled treasures of the
[Kabul] National Museum:
http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/afghan/list.html

Third-century B.C. Greek and Aramaic inscriptions found at Kandahar in 1963
and 1967, including the westernmost Ashokan Edicts yet discovered. The edicts
proclaim the Doctrine of Piety of the Indian emperor Ashoka (ca. 262-232
B.C.), including abstention from killing man or beast and obedience to
parents and elders. Condition and whereabouts unknown.

also lost:
  - More than 30,000 coins, from the eighth century B.C. to modern periods,
    among the largest such collections in the world.

  - Some 5,000 bronzes, marble reliefs, ceramics, and frescoes from Islam's
    artistic and cultural flowering under the Ghaznavid (10th c.) and Ghorid
    (12th c.) dynasties. Many of the bronzes were melted during the fire
    caused by the first rocket attack in May 1993. 

  - Middle Palaeolithic tools dating 30,000 to 50,000 years ago, along with a
    skull fragment with both Neandertal and modern human characteristics,
    20,000 Upper Palaeolithic flint implements and a 15,000-year-old
    sculptured limestone pebble, possibly representing a human face,
    recovered in 1962 and 1965 from Aq Kupruk in Balkh province.

Links: 
* The Geographical Locations of The Rock Edicts of Asoka
  katinkahesselink.net
* Conscience of king Asoka: a new standard in rulership
  famoushistoricalevents.net

Contents

List of Plates	 x
Abbreviations	 xi
1. The background and the sources	 1
2. Early life, accession and chronology of the reign of Asoka 20
3. Society and economic activity	 55
4. Internal administration and foreign relations	 94
5. The policy of Dhamma	 137
6. The later Mauryas	 182
Conclusion	 213

Appendices
1. The Date of the Arthasastra	 218
2. The Titles of Asoka	 226
3. The Geograohical Locations of the Edicts	 228
4. Pottery and Coins of the Mauryan Period	 239
5. A Translation of the Edicts of Asoka	250
6. Mauryan Art	 267

Afterword	 271
Bibliography	 322
Index	 333