How do you understand Ananda Sutta?

How do you understand the Ananda Sutta ? How do you place it in relation to the Atman or Anatta (An-atman) doctrine? SN 44.10 > 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 brahmans & 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 brahmans & > 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?'"