The practice leading to liberation is the Middle Way (majjhimā paṭipadā), which refers to the Buddha’s teaching on avoiding the two extremes:
It is a path based on severe ascetic practices aimed at purifying the mind and body through suffering. The Buddha taught that both of these extremes lead to suffering and do not lead to freedom. Instead, he recommended following the Middle Way, which is free from these extremes. It is the key to liberation from suffering (dukkha) and to the realization of liberation (nibbāna).
Self-mortification (attakilamathānuyoga)
It is a path based on seeking happiness through the gratification of desires and sensory experiences.
Indulgence in sensual pleasures (kāmasukhallikānuyoga)
Early Buddhism emphasizes the importance of training in three key areas of the path to liberation:
The Middle Way consists of three trainings.
Sīla is a fundamental ethical concept encompassing virtue, moral conduct, and discipline, grounded in the principle of non-harming (ahiṃsā).
It forms the foundation of the Noble Eightfold Path, which will be described below, and is essential for the purification of the mind and spiritual development. For lay Buddhists, the basic framework is the Five Precepts; there are also the Eight and Ten Precepts.
Monks and nuns observe the rules of the monastic code (vinaya). Sīla is closely connected with mindfulness and wisdom; it supports wholesome karmic results and creates the conditions for meditation. The practice of sīla requires mindful reflection on one’s intentions and actions in everyday life. Ultimately, sīla is crucial on the Buddhist path, leading to freedom from remorse and toward final liberation.
Training in Moral Discipline (sīla)
Samādhi refers to concentration, immersion, and unification of the mind. Training in samādhi involves developing the ability to sustain attention on a chosen object without distraction. The practice of calm (samatha) is often cultivated in order to develop samādhi. The establishment of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna) is presented as a path leading to unification (samādhi), a place where everything comes together.
Jhānas are specific states of mind that arise from the practice of samādhi. Attainment of the jhānas is associated with seclusion from sensual pleasures and unwholesome mental states. Training in the jhānas requires the continuation of meditation over an extended period of time.
Training in Concentration (samādhi)
Paññā refers to understanding. In the Buddhist context, wisdom goes beyond purely intellectual comprehension or intelligence. The development of wisdom is often associated with insight (vipassanā).
Bhante Sujato translates vipassanā as discernment—the ability to see clearly and to draw correct conclusions. Vipassanā arises when samādhi is practiced, allowing one to see things as they truly are. It should be noted that the understanding of vipassanā in early Buddhism is not the same as the form of Vipassanā meditation practice that is popular today.
In early Buddhism, vipassanā, like samatha, refers to closely related qualities of the mind connected with meditation. Later interpretations came to view it as a system of meditation techniques and associated theoretical frameworks of practice.
Situational awareness (sampajañña) is an aspect of wisdom. Sampajañña involves being aware of what is happening, along with its causes and effects— for example, processes occurring in the body. It is a preparatory form of wisdom that can be developed even before formal meditation. In the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, sampajañña accompanies mindfulness (sati) and effort (ātapi).
Wisdom is connected with Right View (sammā-diṭṭhi), that is, the correct understanding of the Four Noble Truths and the nature of reality. Training in wisdom includes investigation of the Dhamma (dhamma-vicaya) and reflection on the Buddha’s teachings in relation to one’s own experience.
Training in Wisdom (paññā)
These three aspects often arise together as essential elements of spiritual practice.
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