The Middle Way (`majjhimā paṭipadā`)

The Middle Way is the primary feature of the Buddha’s teaching, a moderate soteriological approach avoiding the extremes of sensual gratification and austerity practices such as self-mortification.

Middle Way (`majjhimā paṭipadā`)

“These two extremes, bhikkhave, should not be pursued by one who has gone forth (renounced). Which two?

Pursuit of sensual indulgence in sensual pleasures, which is
- low,
- vulgar,
- of the common person,
- ignoble, and
- unbeneficial; and
Practice of self-mortification, which is
- painful,
- ignoble, and
- unbeneficial.

Avoiding these two extremes, the Middle Way realised by the Tathagata

creates clarity,
generates knowledge, and
leads to:
- calmness,
- experiential understanding,
- full awakening,
- Nibbāna (extinguishment).”

Eightfold Path (`ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo`)

“And what, bhikkhave, is that Middle Way realised by the Tathagata (which creates clarity … leading to Nibbāna)? It is this Eightfold Path, namely:

sammādiṭṭhi (Right View),
sammāsaṅkappo (Right Intention),
sammāvācā (Right Speech),
sammākammanto (Right Action),
sammāājīvo (Right Way of Living),
sammāvāyāmo (Right Effort),
sammāsati (Right Awareness),
sammāsamādhi (Right Focus).

This, bhikkhave, is that Middle Way realised by the Tathagata (which creates clarity … leading to Nibbāna).”

Summary

graph
  A["`**kāmesu kāmasukhallikānuyogo**
  (pursuit of sensual indulgence in sensual pleasures)`"]
  M["`**majjhimā paṭipadā**
  (middle way)`"]
  C["`**attakilamathānuyogo**
  (practice of self-mortification)`"]
  subgraph bad["Bad Outcomes"]
    low["`**hīno**
    (low)`"]
    vulgar["`**gammo**
    (vulgar)`"]
    common["`**pothujjaniko**
    (common person)`"]
    ignoble["`**anariyo**
    (ignoble)`"]
    unbeneficial["`**anatthasaṃhito**
    (unbeneficial)`"]
    painful["`**dukkho**
    (painful)`"]
  end
  subgraph good["Good Outcomes"]
    vision["`**cakkhukaraṇī**
    (creates clarity)`"]
    knowledge["`**ñāṇakaraṇī**
    (generates knowledge)`"]
    calmness["`**upasamā**
    (calmness)`"]
    understanding["`**abhiññā**
    (experiential understanding)`"]
    awakening["`**sambodha**
    (full awakening)`"]
    extinguishment["`**nibbāna**
    (extinguishment)`"]
  end
  E <--> M
  A --> low & vulgar & common & ignoble & unbeneficial
  M --> vision & knowledge & calmness & understanding & awakening & extinguishment
  C --> painful & ignoble & unbeneficial
  subgraph E["`**ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo** (eightfold path)`"]
    P1["`**sammādiṭṭhi**
    (Right View)`"]
    P2["`**sammāsaṅkappo**
    (Right Intention)`"]
    P3["`**sammāvācā**
    (Right Speech)`"]
    P4["`**sammākammanto**
    (Right Action)`"]
    P5["`**sammāājīvo**
    (Right Effort)`"]
    P6["`**sammāvāyāmo**
    (Right Way of Living)`"]
    P7["`**sammāsati**
    (Right Awareness)`"]
    P8["`**sammāsamādhi**
    (Right Focus)`"]
  end

The Middle Way (`majjhimā paṭipadā`)

Middle Way (majjhimā paṭipadā)

Eightfold Path (ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo)

Summary

Middle Way (`majjhimā paṭipadā`)

Eightfold Path (`ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo`)