Guest guest Posted May 10, 2005 Report Share Posted May 10, 2005 Then the wanderer Vacchagotta went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he asked the Blessed One: " Now then, Venerable Gotama, is there a self? " When this was said, the Blessed One was silent. " Then is there no self? " A second time, the Blessed One was silent. Then Vacchagotta the wanderer got up from his seat and left. Then, not long after Vacchagotta the wanderer had left, Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, " Why, lord, did the Blessed One not answer when asked a question by Vacchagotta the wanderer? " " 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 priests & 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 priests & 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? " " No, lord. " " And if I -- being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no self -- were to answer that there is no self, the bewildered Vacchagotta would become even more bewildered: 'Does the self I used to have now not exist?' " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2005 Report Share Posted May 10, 2005 Nisargadatta , " toombaru2004 " <cptc@w...> wrote: > Nisargadatta , " hemantbhai100 " <hemantbhai100@h...> wrote: > > Then the wanderer Vacchagotta went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, > > exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly > > greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he > > asked the Blessed One: " Now then, Venerable Gotama, is there a self? " > > > > When this was said, the Blessed One was silent. > > > > " Then is there no self? " > > > > A second time, the Blessed One was silent. > > > > Then Vacchagotta the wanderer got up from his seat and left. > > > > Then, not long after Vacchagotta the wanderer had left, Ven. Ananda > > said to the Blessed One, " Why, lord, did the Blessed One not answer > > when asked a question by Vacchagotta the wanderer? " > > > > " 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 priests & 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 > > priests & 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? " > > > > " No, lord. " > > > > " And if I -- being asked by Vacchagotta the wanderer if there is no > > self -- were to answer that there is no self, the bewildered > > Vacchagotta would become even more bewildered: 'Does the self I used > > to have now not exist?' " > > > So ..........He answers some questions....but refuses to answer others? toombaru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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