Editing Middle Way (section)

=== The Middle Way (''majjhimāpaṭipadā'') ===
In the [[Early Buddhist texts|Early Buddhist Texts]], the term "Middle Path" ({{IAST|Majjhimāpaṭipadā}}) was used in the ''[[Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta]]'' (SN 56.11, and its numerous parallel texts), which the Buddhist tradition regards to be the first teaching that the Buddha delivered after his awakening.{{NoteTag|''[[Samyutta Nikaya]]'', 56:11. See [http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html]}} In this sutta, the Buddha describes the [[Noble Eightfold Path]] as the Middle Way which steers clear of the extremes of sensual indulgence and [[mortification of the flesh|self-mortification]]:<ref name="DS">{{Cite web|title=Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion|url=http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html|access-date=2015-12-30|website=www.accesstoinsight.org}}</ref>
{{blockquote|Monks, these two extremes ought not to be practiced by one who has gone forth from the household life. There is an addiction to indulgence of sense-pleasures, which is low, coarse, the way of ordinary people, unworthy, and unprofitable; and there is an addiction to self-mortification, which is painful, unworthy, and unprofitable.<br />
Avoiding both these extremes, the [[Tathāgata|Perfect One]] has realized the Middle Path; it gives vision, gives knowledge, and leads to calm, to insight, to enlightenment and to [[Nibbana]]. And what is that Middle Path realized by the Tathagata...? It is the Noble Eightfold Path, and nothing else, namely: right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration.<ref>Piyadassi (1999).</ref>}}
A similar passage occurs in other suttas such as ''Araṇavibhaṅgasutta'' (MN 139) with a Chinese parallel at MA 169 as well as in MN 3 (Chinese parallels at MA 88 and EA 18.3).<ref>Araṇavibhaṅgasutta  MN 139 (MN iii 230) https://suttacentral.net/mn139/</ref><ref>Dhammadāyādasutta MN 3 (MN i 12) https://suttacentral.net/mn3/</ref>

Indologist Johannes Bronkhorst concludes that the first extreme mentioned here "indulgence in desirable sense objects" does not refer to a specific religious movement or practice, but to the actions of common people. However, the other extreme does presuppose ascetics who used "devotion to self-mortification" to reach a religious goal.<ref>Bronkhorst, Johannes (2009). ''Buddhist Teaching in India'', p. 40. Wisdom Publications.</ref>

The Buddhist texts depict (and criticize) [[Jainism|Jain]] ascetics as those who practice extreme self-mortification (Bronkhorst cites [https://suttacentral.net/mn14/en/sujato MN 14]). Early Buddhist sources (such as [https://suttacentral.net/mn36/en/sujato MN 36]) also depict the Buddha practicing those ascetic practices before his awakening and how the Buddha abandoned them because they are not efficacious.<ref name=":4">Bronkhorst, Johannes (2009). ''Buddhist Teaching in India'', pp. 42–44. Wisdom Publications.</ref> Some of these extreme practices include a "meditation without breathing", and extreme fasting which leads to [[emaciation]] as well as the total suppression of bodily movement while standing and refusing to lie down.<ref name=":4" /> According to the scriptural account, when the Buddha delivered the ''[[Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta]]'', he was addressing five ascetics with whom he had previously practiced severe [[Asceticism|ascetic]] practices.{{NoteTag|See, for instance, the Mahasaccaka Sutta ("The Longer Discourse to Saccaka," [[Majjhima Nikaya|MN]] 36 [http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036x.than.html Thanissaro, 1998]).}}

As noted by Y. Karunadasa, this middle path "does not mean moderation or a compromise between the two extremes" rather, it means as the sutta states "without entering either of the two extremes" (''ubho ante anupagamma'').<ref>Y. Karunadasa (2018), ''Early Buddhist Teachings,'' pp. 13–23. Simon and Schuster.</ref>

A sutta from the [[Aṅguttara Nikāya|Anguttara Nikaya]] (AN 3.156–162) also discusses the middle path as well as two other "paths", the addicted practice and the scorching path, referring to the two extremes. The addicted path is described as when someone thinks that there is nothing wrong with sensual pleasures "so they throw themselves into sensual pleasures." Meanwhile, the scorching path includes numerous "ways of mortifying and tormenting the body" including going naked, restricting their food intake in various ways, wearing various kinds of rough clothing, "they tear out their hair and beard," "they constantly stand, refusing seats," they maintain the squatting posture, and "they lie on a mat of thorns". The middle path meanwhile is described by listing [[Bodhipakkhiyādhammā|the thirty seven aids to awakening]].<ref>Naked, Acelakavagga AN 3.156–162, translated by Bhikkhu Sujato https://suttacentral.net/an3.156-162/en/sujato</ref>