The aim of the present essay is to clarify the exact position of the low-classed people, especially that of the untouchables, Caṇḍālas, in ancient Indian society. The writer seeked into this problem based on the Buddhist canons, as well as Arthaśāstra, Dharmasūtra and Dharmaśāstra. In the first section the writer assumed that the institution of untouchables had its origin in the pollution concept which is still prevalent among the primitive people. It seems that the institution was developed in its religious and ritualistic aspects by the Brahmans in the process of the establishment of the Aryan agricultural societies and the subsequent formation of the territorial states, and was finally established with the further support of the Kṣatriyas. This institution was also acceptable for the other two classes, Vaiśya and Śūdra, who were the chief producers of the relevant society. In the second section the writer discussed that this institution of the low-classed people developed into a complicated system itself, and there might have been a distinction of higher or lower ranks even among themselves. Among the low-classed people, so-called Caṇḍālas outnumbered the most, and was made the lowest untouchables of the society. In the next third section it was discussed that the Caṇḍālas were mostly forming kinship societies among themselves and settled in a circumference of a Varṇa Society, still keeping their traditional customs and manners and earning their livelihood by serving for the despised professions such as services concerning the death, which was regarded as the most filthy occupation. Finally, in the fourth section, problem of the contact between the members of Varṇa Society and the untouchables was discussed, based on the concrete evidences observed in the Buddhist canons, giving as well various theoretical regulations picked up from Arthaśāstra, Dharmasūtra and Dharmaśāstra. Among the above sources, the latter documents have been used chiefly to clarify the expiation ritual (prāyaścitta) which was developed by the Brahmans aiming at maintaining purity of the Varṇa Society. It was also pointed out that the members of the Varṇa Society could not generally avoid the contact with Caṇḍālas in their everyday life, despite of the strict taboo concerning the above. The institution of untouchables superficially seems to be based on extremely religious and ritualistic demands to maintain the purity of the Varṇa Society but there certainly existed behind it other social, economic and political demands. Namely, exclusion of the low-classed people was to frame the Varṇa Society from outside, and further to consolidate the inter-class relationships within the Varṇa Society making them the ritualistic status order (viz. four varṇas).
