Option b is the correct answer. Ashokaram monastery was situated in Pataliputra, the capital of the Mauryan Empire. It was founded by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. The monastery was a center of learning and culture, and it attracted scholars and monks from all over the Buddhist world. Pataliputra was a major center of Buddhism during the Mauryan period. It was home to many monasteries and stupas, and it was a pilgrimage destination for Buddhists from all over the world.