#patipada

The Quest for Buddhism (87)

Middle Way - the fundamental of the Buddha's teachings

The term "middle" in the Middle Way refers not to the middle of between the two things, but to moving away from the two things and transcending contradictory conflicts, while the "way" refers to the practice and method.

The unbiased, middle and correct path that is free from the two views of refusal and regularity, or existence and nothingness.

The Middle Way (Skt: Madhyama -pratipada, Pali: Majjhima-paṭipada) is a common Buddhist term used to refer to one of the major aspects of the Dhamma, that is, the teaching of the Buddha. It was given by the Buddha during his first sermon to the five bhikkhus (first turning of the wheel) at Sarnath. It refers specifically to the Noble Eightfold Path (Ref).

The phrasing (with "patipada"), refers to a spiritual practice that steers clear of both extreme asceticism and sensual indulgence. This spiritual path is defined as the noble eightfold path that leads to awakening.

The term Middle Way is widely valued in Buddhism, and its meaning can be shallow or deep, but all sects agree that the core of their dogma is expressed in terms of the Middle Way.

仏教の探求 (87)

中道〜ブッダの教えの基本

中道の〈中〉は、両極端な2つのものの中間ではなく、2つのものから離れて矛盾対立を超えることを意味し、〈道〉は実践・方法を指す。

断・常の二見、あるいは有・無の二辺を離れた不偏にして中正なる道のこと。

中道 (ちゅうどう、梵: ﾏﾃﾞｨﾔﾔﾏｰ･ﾌﾟﾗﾃｨﾊﾟｯﾄﾞ、巴: ﾏｯｼﾞﾏｰ･ﾊﾟﾃｨﾊﾟﾀﾞｰ)は、ダンマ、すなわちブッダの教えの大きな側面を指す共通の仏教用語である。ブッダが鹿野苑 (ろくやおん、梵: サールナート) において五比丘に対して初めての説法を行った際に（初転法輪）、ブッダによって与えられたものである。具体的には八正道（参照）を指す。

この表現 (“ﾊﾟﾃｨﾊﾟﾀﾞ”) は、極端な禁欲と官能的な耽溺の両方を避ける精神的な修行を指す。この精神的な道は、覚醒につながる八正道と定義されている。