Middle Way

E58750

Buddhist doctrine philosophical principle spiritual path

The Middle Way is a central Buddhist principle advocating a balanced path between extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification, leading toward enlightenment.

Aliases (2)

Noble Eightfold Path ×1
majjhimā paṭipadā ×1

Statements (47)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	Buddhist doctrine → philosophical principle → spiritual path →
aimsAt	cessation of suffering → enlightenment →
articulatedIn	Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta → Pali Canon →
associatedWith	Gautama Buddha →
category	Buddhist path → Buddhist soteriology →
centralToSchool	Mahayana Buddhism → Theravada Buddhism → Vajrayana Buddhism →
contrastedWith	eternalism → nihilism →
coreTeachingOf	Buddhism →
describedAs	balanced path between extremes →
emphasizes	balanced meditation practice → practical moderation in lifestyle → right concentration → right effort → right view →
goal	liberation from samsara →
hasAspect	avoidance of extremes → ethical moderation → mental balance →
hasDimension	ethical → meditative → wisdom (prajñā) →
historicalContext	formulated after Buddha’s extreme ascetic practices →
influenced	Buddhist ethics → Buddhist meditation theory → Buddhist philosophy →
interpretedAs	middle between metaphysical extremes → middle between practical lifestyle extremes →
languageOfOrigin	Pali →
opposes	self-indulgence → self-mortification →
originalTerm	majjhimā paṭipadā →
purpose	to end dukkha (suffering) →
relatedConcept	Noble Eightfold Path → dependent origination → emptiness (śūnyatā) →
religiousTradition	Buddhism →
scripturalStatus	foundational teaching in early Buddhist texts →
teaches	rejection of ascetic extremism → rejection of hedonistic extremism →

Referenced by (6)

Subject (surface form when different)	Predicate
Shakyamuni Buddha →	centralTeaching
Buddhism ("Noble Eightfold Path") →	coreTeaching
Buddha (book) →	discusses
Middle Way ("majjhimā paṭipadā") →	originalTerm
Asalha Puja →	relatedConcept
Buddhism →	teaches