Self in Theravada
Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 11:36 am
What is the Buddha ' not saying' ?
From another thread, posted by Ananda
viewtopic.php?f=4&p=66319#p66319
From another thread, posted by Ananda
viewtopic.php?f=4&p=66319#p66319
It seems that Gautama kept silent because Vacchagotta had asked the wrong question.Ananda wrote:"Ananda, if I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is a self — were to answer that there is a self, that would be conforming with those brahmans & contemplatives who are exponents of eternalism [the view that there is an eternal, unchanging soul]. If I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no self — were to answer that there is no self, that would be conforming with those brahmans & contemplatives who are exponents of annihilationism [the view that death is the annihilation of consciousness]. If I — being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is a self — were to answer that there is a self, would that be in keeping with the arising of knowledge that all phenomena are not-self?".