Editing Middle Way (section)

{{short description|Buddhist doctrine}}
{{Other uses|Middle way (disambiguation)}}

{{Buddhism}}

The '''Middle Way''' ({{langx|pi|{{IAST|Majjhimāpaṭipadā}}}}; {{langx|sa|{{IAST|Madhyamāpratipada}}}}) as well as "'''teaching the Dharma by the middle'''" (''majjhena dhammaṃ deseti'') are common [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] terms used to refer to two major aspects of the [[Dharma]], that is, the teaching of the [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]].<ref>Kohn (1991), p. 143.</ref>{{NoteTag|{{bo|t=དབུ་མའི་ལམ།|s =Umélam}}; {{CJKV|t=中道|v=Trung đạo}}; {{langx|th|มัชฌิมาปฏิปทา}}; {{langx|my|အလယ်အလတ်လမ်းစဉ်}}. Also see the Pali version of the ''Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta'' (available online at [http://www.mettanet.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/3Samyutta-Nikaya/Samyutta5/55-Sacca-Samyutta/02-Dhammacakkappavattanavaggo-p.html SLTP, n.d.-b, sutta 12.2.1]) where the phrase ''majjhimā patipadā'' is repeatedly used.}} The first phrasing, the Middle Way, refers to a spiritual practice that steers clear of both extreme [[asceticism]] and sensual indulgence. This spiritual path is defined as the [[Noble Eightfold Path]] that leads to [[Enlightenment in Buddhism|awakening]]. The second formulation, "teaching the Dharma by the middle," refers to how the Buddha's Dharma (Teaching) approaches [[Ontology|ontological]] issues of existence and [[personal identity]] by avoiding [[Sassatavada|eternalism]] (or [[Absolute (philosophy)|absolutism]]) and [[Ajita Kesakambali#From Buddhist sources|annihilationism]] (or [[nihilism]]).