I have a question regarding the meaning of the sutta.
The Buddha says:
“Nanu tvaṁ, aggivessana, evaṁ vadesi:‘rūpaṁ me attā, vedanā me attā, saññā me attā, saṅkhārā me attā, viññāṇaṁ me attā’”ti?
What is the meaning “… me attā“? The translation says “… my self”. If it can be translated as “my self”, one can assume the Buddha’s suggestive question about a self in it. But I rather think that the question of control over the five heaps is being asked here.
The Buddha also says:
‘vedanā me attā’ti, vattati te tissaṁ vedanāyaṁ vaso – evaṁ me vedanā hotu, evaṁ me vedanā mā ahosī”ti?
“…do you have power over that feeling to say: ‘May my feeling be like this! May it not be like that’?”
Thus the question of this sutta is not, if a person exists, but rather if one has control over the pancakkhandha.
——————————
I also see a discrepancy between
Etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti – Connection to Taṇhā, Māna, Diṭṭhi #1 and #2
“etaṁ mama, esohamasmi (eso aham asmi), eso me attā’ti samanupassati”
…However, as discussed below, it means ‘This is mine, I am (some of) this, this is for my benefit.’
vs. Sakkāya Diṭṭhi – “Me and Mine” View #9
“Yaṃ panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāmadhammaṃ, kallaṃ nu taṃ samanupassituṃ: ‘etaṃ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?
…“If something cannot be maintained to one’s liking, leads to suffering, and is subject to unexpected changes, is it wise to regard that as: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self or identity’?”
What is the meaning of “… me attā’ti”?