Why does Buddha think the proper path to enlightenment is through the middle path?

Answer 1

Before the Buddhist period, there were two widely held beliefs; one was that all things were permanent, this described the transferring of the soul to a new body after death and was called eternalism. The other was nihilism, which believed in the extinction of the being after death. In fact, they believed that everything was annihilated on death, as everyone was born of four elements and when the four elements dissolved, the being was also annihilated.The Buddha did not preach either eternalism or nihilism. Instead, he taught the the reality of conditioned existence.

Answer 2

One of the most important teachings of Budha is that no extreme must be reached: not too much pleasure neither too much pain, not too much strength neither too much weakness. Everything in balance. This (in principle) is the path to enlightenment.

Buddhism teaches people to follow the eightfold path, also called the middle way. by following this path, a person avoids a life of extreme pleasure or extreme happiness.

Answer 3

The Buddha called the Noble Eightfold Path "the Middle Way" since it avoids the two extremes in life, that of total sensual indulgance and that of complete austerity, both of which The Buddha had or tried in his life prior to enlightenment.

Answer 4

The Buddha laid out the Eightfold Path as what he described as "the Middle Way" to reach enlightenment. This method is less severe than the path that the Buddha followed and avoids the extremes of sensual indulgence and asceticism, which the Buddha followed almost to his death in order to try to reach enlightenment.

The eightfold path consists of:

1. Right View

2. Right Intention (thought)

3. Right Speech

4. Right Action

5. Right Livelihood

6. Right Effort

7. Right Mindfulness

8. Right Concentration.

So we follow this path because the Buddha told us it was a better way.

Answer 5

The Eightfold Path is not the Middle Way, The Eightfold Path is a compilation of attributes that a person should emulate to achieve enlightenment and the decrease in suffering. the Middle Way is the way of living proposed by the Buddha that neither excessive privation of gratification would further the path to enlightenment.

Answer 6

Buddha, who was originally a prince of sorts, lived in luxury in his early years. He had everything he could want but was never satisfied. Then, in order to find something more meaningful, Buddha basically practiced a form of faith as an ascetic Hindu Monk. He would inflict suffering on himself by depriving himself of basic human needs. This also did not bring him the satisfaction he was looking for. Buddhists believe it was only after he had an enlightening experience that he seen the path to enlightenment through a "middle path", that involved neither excess nor deprivation.