The Middle Path, or the Middle Way, is a central concept in Buddhism that describes a path that transcends and reconciles the duality that characterizes most thinking. The Buddha began his first teaching by telling his listeners to take the middle path between extreme asceticism on one hand and sensual indulgence on the other. The Middle Path is exemplified by the Noble Eightfold Path, which steers clear of the extremes of sensual indulgence and self-mortification. The Middle Path is not a compromise between the two extremes, but rather a way of investigating and penetrating the core of life and all things with an upright, unbiased attitude.
The Middle Path informs much of Buddhist thought, even its more abstract concepts. For example, the Buddha remained silent when asked whether or not the self exists, because answering yes or no would have promoted the concept of eternalism or nihilism, respectively. In between, in his silence, lay the Middle Path. The Middle Way describes the middle ground between attachment and aversion, between being and non-being, between form and emptiness, between free will and determinism.
The Middle Way is not just a theoretical concept, but also a way of life that creates happiness for oneself and others. Pursuing the Middle Way is not a compromise, but rather a way of bravely confronting lifes challenges and finding a way of life that gives the greatest value to human existence and helps relieve the world of suffering.
