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buddhavacana

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.

“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).”

Summary

Section titled “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
  A --> low & vulgar & common & ignoble & unbeneficial
  M --> vision & knowledge & calmness & understanding & awakening & extinguishment
  C --> painful & ignoble & unbeneficial