Ashoka has been particularly influenced by the Buddhist monk

Upagupta (c. 3rd Century BC) was a Buddhist monk. According to some stories in the Sanskrit text Ashokavadana, he was the spiritual teacher of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka. Upagupta's teacher was Sanavasi who was a disciple of Ananda, the Buddha's attendant. Due to the absence of his name in Theravada literature, it is assumed that Upagupta was a Sarvastivadin monk.