Editing Indian religions (section)

==== Spread of Jainism and Buddhism (500–200 BCE) ====
{{Main|Maurya Empire|Silk Road transmission of Buddhism}}
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| image1 = Mahabodhitemple.jpg
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| caption1 = [[Buddhist]] [[Mahabodhi Temple]], [[Bodh Gaya]], [[Bihar]]
| image2 = Palitana.jpg
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| caption2 = [[Jain]] [[Palitana temples]], [[Shatrunjaya]] hill, [[Gujarat]]
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Both Jainism and Buddhism spread throughout India during the period of the [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]] empire.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}

Buddhism flourished during the reign of Ashoka of the [[Maurya Empire]], who patronised Buddhist teachings and unified the Indian subcontinent in the 3rd century BCE. He sent missionaries abroad, allowing Buddhism to spread across Asia.<ref name="Heehs_2002_106">{{harvnb|Heehs|2002|p=106}}.</ref>

Jainism began its golden period during the reign of Emperor [[Kharavela]] of [[Kalinga (historical region)|Kalinga]] in the 2nd century BCE due to his significant patronage of the religion. His reign is considered a period of growth and influence for the religion, although Jainism had flourished for centuries before and continued to develop in prominence after his time.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kharavela – The Great Philanthropic Emperor |url=https://magazines.odisha.gov.in/orissareview/apr-2007/engpdf/page40-41.pdf |access-date=10 March 2024 |archive-date=10 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240310235038/https://magazines.odisha.gov.in/orissareview/apr-2007/engpdf/page40-41.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>