[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897) › c8.63 # The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time c8.63 The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time c8.63 - **Language:** English ### [c8.63](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c8.63) But the question whether or not Buddhism has changed the caste-relationships is not of great value for us, as we, starting from the assumption³ that the Jâtakas in their older forms exhibit the social condition of India, as it existed in Buddha’s time, have only made this the subject of our study. In any case, one thing appears very clearly from the passages of a theoretical character quoted above, and that is, that the concept of caste, of \*jâti\*,⁴ was widely prevalent in Buddha’s time. Consequently, our purpose is not much achieved if we consider how far the views relating to the essence of the caste are divergent, how much the views of the different authors vary here and there, when the question is to determine the concept of caste for a special period of Indian culture-history. Our problem will be to determine what is to be understood by caste in this period and to answer the question: "How far is the concept of caste, as it has come to us from the Brahmanical theory, or as we are accustomed to use it, when we speak of the modern conditions of India, applicable to the \*játi\* of the Pali texts?" - [Previous: c8.62](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c8.62) - [Next: c8.64](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c8.64) - [Up: c8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c8) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c8.63](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c8.63) · Pramāṇa