An old story about the Advaitic orthodox and untouchable

An old story about the Advaitic orthodox and untouchable:- 

Ancient day’s orthodox people used to   take dip in the river.  An Advaitic orthodox took a dip in the river. And as he was coming up the steps, a man touched him on purpose, not accidentally, and told him, "Please forgive me. I am a low caste, I am untouchable. I am sorry sir, but you will have to take another dip in the river to clean yourself."

The orthodox Advaitic scholar was very angry. He said, "It was not accidental, the way you did that; you did it on purpose. You should be punished in hell."

The man said: - “When all is illusory, it seems only hell remains real." That took the orthodox scholar aback.

The man said, "Before you go for your dip, you have to answer my few questions. If you don't answer me, each time you come up after your bath, I will touch you."

It was lonely and nobody else was there, so orthodox Advaitin said, "You seem to be a very strange person. What are your questions?"

v  He said, "My first question is: Is my body illusory?

v  Is your body illusory?

v  And if two illusions touch each other, what is the problem?

v  Why are you going to take another bath?

v  You are not practicing what you are preaching. How, in an illusory world, can there be a distinction between the untouchable and the Brahmin? -- The pure and the impure? -- When both are illusory, when both are made of the same stuff as dreams are made of? What is the fuss?"

The Advaitin scholar could not answer this simple man because any answer was going to be against his understanding of philosophy. If he says they are illusory, then there is no point in being angry about it. If he says they are real, then at least he accepts the reality of bodies... but then there is a problem. If human bodies are real, then animal bodies, the bodies of the trees, the bodies of the planets, the stars... then everything is real.

The man said, "I know you cannot answer this -- it will finish your whole philosophy. I will ask you another question: I am a low caste, untouchable, impure, but where is my impurity -- in my body or in my soul? I have heard you declaring that the soul is absolutely and forever pure, and there is no way to make it impure; so how can there be a distinction between souls? Both are pure, absolutely pure, and there are no degrees of impurity -- that somebody is more pure and somebody is less pure. So perhaps it is my soul that has made you impure and you have to take another dip in the river?"

That was even more difficult. But he had never been in such trouble -- actual, practical, in a way scientific. Rather than arguing about words, the low caste had created a situation in which the Advaitic scholar accepted his defeat.

The low caste said, "Then don't go take another dip. Anyway there is no river, no me, no you; all is illusory. Just go in the temple -- that too is an illusion -- and pray to God. He too is an illusion, because whatever appeared as waking experience is also as unreal as the dream.