[Snitiendumurn]

I think that you are overcomplicating things and seeing things that are not there.

Imo, seeing this suttas has anything to do with after-death is "seeing things that are not there".

Mahanama asked the Buddha a question a typical puthujjana would ask. Namely, "what will happen when I die or what will happen after my death"? The Buddha did not answer his question by saying "Have no fear, Mahanama! Have no fear! Your rebirth will not be a bad one". He merely said "Have no fear, Mahanama! Have no fear! Your death will not be a bad one".

apapakam te maranam bhavissati, apapika kalakiriya maranam means death. kalakriya means death. As I see it, he was merely speaking of the experience of death; not after-death.

Edit: I think what Element initially said was correct. It is important to keep in mind the context of this whole discussion and who the Buddha was addressing. The Buddha's focus was consoling a worried lay disciple who was seemingly not a stream enterer, possibly old and apparently believed in rebirth. It seems that the Buddha's words were carefully chosen to address Mahanama's specific fears and worries rather than to teach him.