can a business be purchased without taking on the debt of that business.

Hi.  I am a Maryland barred attorney who works with small business owners.  So long as the transaction is not done to defraud creditors, it may be possible to simply do an Asset Purchase (rather than a business merger or total aquisition).  In that way, you could buy the customer base, etc., without taking on the debt.  You may want to contact a licensed attorney in this area to help guide you through such a purchase (it also is often a good idea to get an accountant involved as well at the early stages of negotiation).