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Origin of Untouchability (v)
BRAHMAŅAS' CONTEMPT & OTHER GROUNDS
Upendranath Roy
Dr Ambedkar believes Brāhmanas' contempt for the Buddhists was the main root of untouchability. His arguments for the thesis are as follows:
1. In 1910 A.D. the Census Commissioner decided to separate
untouchables and tribals from the rest of the Hindus. Tests for the separation revealed that the untouchables were not served by good Brähmaņa priests at all, that they did not receive the 'mantra' from a Brāhmaṇa and that they had their own priests reared from themselves. The census authorities did not bother about the reasons behind it. Generally these facts are explained by pointing to the fact that the Brahmanas hate the untouchables and regard them as 'impure'. But people who have observed and examined the social customs of the untouchables have discovered that the untouchables do pot like a Brābmana's entry into their houses or his passing through their huts. It can therefore be said that the untou. chables too look upon the Brāhmapas as impure persons and hate them. That raises the question : what is the basis of
this antipathy? 2. This antipathy can be explained on the hypothesis that the
Broken Men had become Buddhists at the time when Buddhism prevailed in the country. They did not revere the Brāhmaṇas nor did they employ Brāhmaṇas as priests because they were Buddhists. Subsequently, Brahmapism gained supremacy but the Broken Men did not give up their faith easily in favour of Brāhmanism. So they were degraded and
made untouchable. 3. The Smstis bear testimony to the malicious propaganda
against the Buddhist. Not only entry into a Buddhist temple but even contact with a Buddhist through sight, touch and conversation is declared sinful in the Smrtis and atonement
is prescribed for such sinful activity. 4. How widespread the hatred for Buddhists was can be obser
ved from the Mfchchhakatikam.
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