Middle Way is More than just Moderation | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Dhammagiri | Majjhima Patipada

The Buddha mentions the Middle Way (Majjhimā Paṭipadā) right in the beginning of his very first formal discourse, the Sutta on "Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dhamma" (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta).

If he mentions the Middle Way first, even before introducing the 4 Noble Truths, it's obviously really important.

Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to investigate any issues we encounter in life or in formal meditation in terms of the Middle Way. Can we identify the two extremes to avoid, and instead transcend the extremes and go beyond them on the Middle Way, the Noble 8-Fold Path.

Although the Buddha expounds the Middle Way in his first discourse by means of the extremes of sensual indulgence versus ascetic self mortification, there are numerous other extremes and applications of the Middle Way, for example:

• Too much and ultimately counterproductive effort versus laziness and sloppiness - to be transcended by the middle way of wise effort based on mindfulness and insight

• Believe in an eternal, blissful Self versus believe that there is simply nothing after death - to be transcended by the Middle Way of dependent origination

• Eating too much versus eating too little - to be transcended by eating the right amount while contemplating food to wisely abandon attachment to it while still consuming it

• and so on ...

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