Middle way

Buddhism
Basic terms
Three Jewels Four Noble Truths Dukkha Suffering Samudaya Cause of Suffering Nirodha Cessation of Suffering Magga Noble Eight Fold Path Buddhahood Enlightenment Nirvana
People
Gautama Buddha Dalai Lama Bodhisattva Sangha
Schools
Theravada Mahayana Zen Vajrayana Nyingma Kagyu Sakya Gelug
Practices
Dharma study Noble Eightfold Path Meditation Chanting Metta
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The Middle Way or Middle Path is a teaching about a way of looking at things in Buddhism. This teaching advises a path of moderation, taking a middle way between extremes. In particular, the Buddha advises against taking a either an overly hard path or an overly easy path. He said that a person should not be either too self-indulgent or self-denying. The middle way is a different way of life.

According the Third Noble Truth, the way to stop suffering is to stop wanting things. But if a person too strongly wants to stop wanting things, they are still wanting something. (to stop wanting things). The middle way helps solve this problem. Buddha came to this idea after six years of extreme self-denial in the search for how to end suffering. ^[1]

1. ↑ "BBC - Religions - Buddhism: The Buddha".