Asati In Alagadduopamasutta

Here's a comprehensive summary of Ernst Steinkellner's article "'Asati' in the Alagaddūpamasutta," based on the provided text:

Core Argument:

Ernst Steinkellner's article re-examines the meaning of the term "asati" (non-existent) within the Alagaddūpamasutta, specifically in the concluding sentence of a paragraph and its subsequent development. He argues that "asati" does not refer to a denial of the existence of a permanent self (atta) in a general sense, but rather to the imagined future non-existence of a wrongly conceived self. This nuanced understanding is crucial for dispelling any lingering doubts about whether the Buddha explicitly denied the existence of the self.

Key Points and Line of Reasoning:

1. Rejection of Previous Interpretations:

   • Steinkellner reiterates his earlier stance that the Buddha's denial of a permanent self (atta) cannot be definitively linked to the phrase "saccato thetato anupalabbhamāne" (not found as true, as real).
   • He also rejects K.R. Norman's idea that the denial of self in the Alagaddūpamasutta is merely implied.

2. Critique of Buddhaghosa's Interpretation and Steinkellner's Own Previous View:

   • Steinkellner initially followed Buddhaghosa's interpretation that the concluding sentence of the first paragraph ("so evam samanupassanto asati na paritassatīti" - "he, thus contemplating, is not anxious about something non-existent") was a conclusion related to the last of the six wrong views mentioned previously. This view was that "after death I will exist, as permanent, lasting, eternal, unchanging."
   • However, he now finds this limitation of "asati" to only the last view to be incorrect. He argues that if "asati" referred to all six previously rejected views (which include possessive ideas like "this is mine, I am that, that is my self"), then the concluding sentence about not being anxious about something non-existent wouldn't make sense, as anxiety (paritassana) hadn't been discussed.

3. The Concluding Sentence as a Transition:

   • Steinkellner proposes, with crucial input from his friends Lambert Schmithausen and Enomoto Fumio, that the concluding sentence ("so evam samanupassanto asati na paritassatīti") should not be seen as a conclusion to the preceding paragraph, but rather as an introduction to the following paragraph.
   • This new interpretation positions the sentence as transitioning to the theme of anxiety about something non-existent (asati paritassanā), which is then developed in the next section of the sutta.

4. Analysis of the Subsequent Paragraph:

   • The following paragraph (MN I 136, 17 - 137, 16) addresses anxiety in four stages, involving a monk's questions and the Buddha's answers concerning:
     • External non-existence with anxiety (bahiddhā asati paritassanā)
     • External non-existence without anxiety (bahiddhā asati aparitassanā)
     • Internal non-existence with anxiety (ajjhattaṁ asati paritassanā)
     • Internal non-existence without anxiety (ajjhattam asati aparitassanā)

5. Clarification of "Asati" in the Internal Context:

   • Steinkellner focuses on the "internal non-existence" (ajjhattaṁ asati) where anxiety arises. He explains that in this context, "asati" refers to the self (attā) as wrongly imagined and that this wrongly imagined self will no longer exist in the future after understanding the Buddha's teachings.
   • The Buddha's teaching aims to uproot wrong views, including the idea of a permanent, eternal self. Therefore, the anxiety described is about the anticipated future non-existence of this wrongly conceived self, not the denial of the self's existence as such.

6. Significance of the Finding:

   • This refined understanding of "asati" as referring to the imagined future non-existence of the self, rather than a direct denial of the self's existence, is presented as a significant clarification.
   • It serves to dispel any remaining doubts that the Buddha explicitly stated a negation of the existence of a self. The focus remains on the impermanence of phenomena and the rejection of clinging to a static, eternal self.

In essence, the article argues for a shift in understanding the function of the concluding sentence of the first paragraph, viewing it as a pivot to the subsequent discussion on anxiety. This allows for a more precise interpretation of "asati" as referring to the anxiety over the future demise of a wrongly conceived, impermanent self, rather than a general denial of the self's existence.