The Barabar and Nagarjuni caves were donated by Ashoka and Dasharatha to —

Ashoka’s Barabar cave inscriptions and Dasharatha’s Nagarjuni cave inscriptions record dedications to the Ajivika ascetics. Buddhism is incorrect because, although Ashoka strongly supported the Buddhist sangha, these particular cave dedications name the Ajivikas. Jainism is incorrect because Jain traditions are important for Mauryan history, especially accounts of Chandragupta, but the Barabar–Nagarjuni inscriptions do not dedicate these caves to Jain monks. Brahmanism is also incorrect: Mauryan rulers respected Brahmanas, yet the caves in question were not established as Brahmanical shrines. The correct method is to rely on the dedicatory inscriptions rather than assuming that every monument associated with Ashoka was Buddhist.