The
dodged question about atta
On another
occasion the wanderer Vacchagotta went to the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him. Then
he asked: “How is it,
Master Gotama, does self exist?” When this
was said, the Blessed One was silent. “How is it,
then, Master Gotama, does self not exist?” And for a
second time the Blessed One was silent. Then the
wanderer Vacchagotta got up from his seat and went away. Not long after he had gone the venerable Ananda asked the Blessed One: “Lord, how
is it that when the Blessed One was questioned he did not answer?” “If, when I
was asked ‘Does self exist?’ I had answered ‘Self exists’, that would have
been the belief of those who hold the theory of eternalism. And if, when I
was asked ‘Does self not exist?’ I had answered ‘Self does not exist,’ that would
have been the belief of those who hold the theory of annihilationism. Again, if,
when asked ‘Does self exist?’ I had answered ‘Self exists,’ would
that have been in conformity with my knowledge that all things are not-self?
And if, when asked ‘Does self not exist?’ I had answered ‘Self does not
exist,’ then confused as he already is, Ananda, the wanderer Vacchagotta
would have become still more confused, assuming: ‘Surely then I had a self
before and now have none.’” S. 44:10 |