How did buddhist beliefs affect the policies of king Asoka

Asoka or Ashoka, both are right.

Explanation:

The influence of buddhist beliefs relly affected his policies, specially after a very huge war when, at that moment, he witnessed more than one hundred thousand people's death. It touched him deeply and after that he became a buddhish follower.

Ashoka himself was a Buddhist so while he didn't push Buddhism upon his subjects, he did facilitate the spread of Buddhism. His policies weren't as harsh as other Hindu rulers because Buddhism is less strict of a religion