10.
The Discourse on Ānanda
419.
Then the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Blessed One.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta said this to the Blessed One -
"What now, Master Gotama, is there a self?"
When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.
"What then, Master Gotama, is there no self?"
For the second time the Blessed One remained silent.
Then the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta rose from his seat and departed.
Then the Venerable Ānanda, when the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta had recently departed, said this to the Blessed One - "Why indeed, venerable sir, did the Blessed One not answer the question asked by the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta?" "If I, Ānanda, when asked by the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta 'is there a self?' had answered 'there is a self,' that would have been in accordance with those ascetics and brahmins who hold the doctrine of eternalism. If I, Ānanda, when asked by the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta 'is there no self?' had answered 'there is no self,' that would have been in accordance with those ascetics and brahmins who hold the doctrine of annihilationism. If I, Ānanda, when asked by the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta 'is there a self?' had answered 'there is a self,' would that have been in conformity with the arising of knowledge - 'all phenomena are non-self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "If I, Ānanda, when asked by the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta 'is there no self?' had answered 'there is no self,' for the deluded wandering ascetic Vacchagotta, Ānanda, it would have been for even more confusion - 'Surely I had a self before, but now it does not exist.'" The tenth.