Piya Tan wrote:

> Has Peter (Masefield) or any one else anything to add to this for our
> edification.

Only to add that, according to the Pa~ncappakara.na-anu.tika 83 (Burmese edition),
it would seem that the Buddha was simply resorting to common parlance, as Buddhas so
often do. That is to say, since his audience took it for granted that people
acquired selves, he went along with this way of speaking about things.

> [The other occurrence of the term seems to be only in Daa.thu,va.msa 5:64,
> according to the CPD (Critical {ali Dictionary).]

Actually, if you can get your hands on a (free) copy of the Vipassana Research
Institute's CSCD, an do a search on attapa.tilaabh*, you will find several other
references.

Peter Masefield.