The Emphasis on Middle Path

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It is perhaps necessary to emphasize the fact that the Buddha took some pain in emphasizing that the teaching that he was giving to the world was a middle path which avoided the extremes and perversity of the Brahamanical and monastic creeds, which were prevalent during his time. It was also a path which offered possibilities of progress for every mortal. The Buddha's own exposition of the path need to be reproduced for correct guidance.

"It is neither the practice of sensuality a low and unworthy way, nor the practice of asceticism. There is a middle path, Bhikkhus, avoiding these two extremes a path which bestows understanding which leads to peace of mind, to higher wisdom, to Nirvana. It is right view and knowledge, right aims and motives, right speech and right conduct, right means of livelihood, right effort, right mind control and right meditation".

Again and again has the Buddha emphasized on the fact that his path is a middle way. He says, :the Tathagata avoiding the two extremes, preaches his truth which is the middle way". This emphasis on the middle path should not be treated lightly, for if we do so, we will fail to grasp the true significance of the Buddha's teachings and would also fail in our efforts to tread the noble eight fold path to reach the dizzy heights of Nirvana.

The reasons for emphasis

Let us therefore carefully and patiently try to understand the reasons for this emphasis. The firsts and the obvious reason was that the Buddha had tried out all austerities and had found them wanting. He has expressed his own bitter disappointment in words which should condemn these methods for all time. "Yet by all this bitter woeful way I do not achieve the truly Aryan excellence of knowledge and insight, surpassing mortal things".

It was on this account that the Buddha turned a deaf ear on all attempts made by groups in his own Sangha to prescribe a more ascetic and rigid discipline for his monks and disciples. It caused a schism in the Sangha but he stood firm and unbending on this issue.

There were still a large number of Bhikkhus in his Sangha who did not break away from him but had preference for a more ascetic way of life. The Buddha, however, did not at any stage encourage these tendencies.

In one famous discourse, he clearly stated that for himself, he preferred a saner way of life which avoided the two extremes.

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