The Middle Path and the True Teaching
To understand what is Right Dharma (samma-dhamma), one must first understand what is the Middle Way. However, because there are various interpretations of the term "Middle Way," you may need to set aside your previous understanding of it before continuing to read this explanation.
For example, suppose someone who has never seen a tomato asks you: "Is a tomato green?"
You might say, "Not necessarily."
"Is it red then?"
"Not necessarily."
"Then does it mean that a tomato is not green? Or not red?"
"Not necessarily."
"Does that mean a tomato has no color?"
"It does have color." You might explain further: "Saying a tomato is green is a partial view. Saying it is red is also a partial view. Saying it is neither green nor red is still a partial view. Setting aside all these partial views, the correct explanation is this: when unripe, a tomato is green; when ripe, it is red."
Why is this the case? Because you know that tomatoes indeed exhibit both colors, so you wouldn’t simply answer "No." Similarly, because you understand that the color depends on the stage of growth, you wouldn’t answer "Yes" either.
You also wouldn’t describe it as, "First comes unripe, then comes green," or "First comes ripe, then comes red." This is because the colors are phenomena that manifest during the growth cycle of the tomato. Although there is a causal relationship, there is no temporal sequence of "before" or "after."
Setting aside all partial views, neither leaning to the left nor to the right, neither forward nor backward, and speaking truthfully from a balanced perspective—this is the Middle Way. It states: given certain conditions, certain phenomena arise; without those conditions, those phenomena do not arise. This perspective is the essence of the Middle Way, and the Dharma taught by the Blessed One follows this principle.
In Samyutta Nikaya (Sutta 301), the Buddha explained to Kaccānagotta:
"The world relies on two extremes: the view of existence and the view of non-existence. Both are rooted in clinging to contact. Because of this clinging, one either depends on the view of existence or the view of non-existence.
When there is no clinging, the mind is no longer attached to the realm of perceptions. It neither grasps, nor clings, nor identifies with notions of 'self.' When suffering arises, one knows it as arising; when suffering ceases, one knows it as ceasing. This is called Right View. It is the Right View established by the Tathāgata.
Why is this so? With proper understanding, one realizes the arising of the world as it truly is, without assuming non-existence. Similarly, with proper understanding, one realizes the cessation of the world as it truly is, without assuming existence. This is called departing from the two extremes.
The Middle Way is taught as follows: 'This being, that arises; this arising, that arises.' That is, with ignorance as condition, volitional formations arise, and so on, until the mass of suffering arises. With the cessation of ignorance, volitional formations cease, and so on, until the mass of suffering ceases."
How can this teaching be understood?
This teaching explains that the Middle Way avoids the two extremes of "existence" and "non-existence." Instead, it focuses on understanding dependent origination (paṭicca samuppāda): phenomena arise and cease in dependence on conditions. By observing this process with clarity, one abandons clinging and sees reality as it is, leading to liberation from suffering.
There are two common views among people: either the belief in existence (bhava) or non-existence (vibhava). Both arise from the grasping of sensory experiences—what is seen, heard, smelled, tasted, touched, or remembered. When people encounter sensory experiences, they cling to them, recall and conceptualize them, and regard them as representations of individuals, beings, matter, spirit, you, me, them, it, life, the world, the universe, and so on. On this foundation, the views of existence or non-existence are born.
However, if one neither clings to, recalls, nor conceptualizes sensory experiences, and does not regard them as this or that, as self or other, then one comes to understand the principle that when sensory experiences arise, phenomena arise, and when they cease, phenomena cease. Without doubt, one directly realizes this truth. This is the Middle Way taught by the Blessed One, which corresponds to right view in the Noble Eightfold Path.
Why is this the case? Because when one knows and understands the arising of various phenomena in the world as they truly are, one does not regard the world as empty or merely a product of subjective imagination. Similarly, when one knows and understands how various phenomena in the world cease, one does not regard the world as inherently existent or objectively real. By abandoning all partial and extreme views, one neither leans to the left nor the right, neither forward nor backward, and instead perceives reality as it is: "This being, that arises; this ceasing, that ceases."
This means that when ignorance (avijjā) exists, volitional formations (saṅkhāra) arise, and so on, until aging, death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair arise. When ignorance ceases, volitional formations cease, and so on, until aging, death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair cease. This is the Middle Way of liberation.
After understanding the Middle Way mentioned above, let us examine the current views of the Theravāda (Southern tradition) and Mahāyāna (Northern tradition).
Theravāda posits that the world is divided into conceptual realities (paññatti dhamma) and ultimate realities (paramattha dhamma). Conceptual realities are considered non-existent, as they are merely mental constructs created by people. Ultimate realities, on the other hand, are regarded as objectively existing and directly knowable without the need for mental reasoning.
Both of these views, however, arise from the grasping of sensory experiences and are rooted in notions of "non-existence" (ascribed to conceptual realities) and "existence" (ascribed to ultimate realities). Without the corresponding sensory experiences, can one even define what is conceptual and what is ultimate? Clearly not. It can be said that the entire theoretical framework and methods of the Theravāda tradition are built upon this dualistic perspective.
Because these two views exist, driven by attachment, people engage in corresponding actions—that is, the aspiration to transcend illusory conceptual realities and directly observe ultimate realities through pure awareness.
During this process of action, corresponding cognitions arise. These are referred to as the eighteen insight knowledges (vipassanā-ñāṇa).
When cognition arises, there are corresponding sensations, perceptions, imaginations, and thoughts—essentially, the various aspects described within the eighteen insight knowledges. These constitute nāma-rūpa (mentality and materiality).
When nāma-rūpa exists, there are the six sense bases (saḷāyatana). When the six sense bases exist, there is contact (phassa). With subtle forms of contact, there arises joy and happiness—what is commonly referred to as Dhamma joy (pīti sukha).
When there is joy, there is attachment. When there is attachment, the desire to practice and trust in a particular view increases. This is craving for sense pleasures (kāmupādāna) and attachment to views (diṭṭhupādāna). Reflecting on the behaviors in the past that led to such insights and joy in the Dharma, and then continuously engaging in those same behaviors, constitutes attachment to precepts and rituals (sīlabbatupādāna). Becoming proud or conceited, regarding these so-called insights and Dharma joy as “my accomplishments,” “my experiences,” “what I have realized,” or thinking “I am without self,” “I have attained Nirvana,” “I am liberated,” constitutes attachment to self (attavādupādāna).
These attachments lead to the formation of karmic existence (bhava). The various desires, meditative absorptions of the form realm, and formless realm that arise in this process constitute existence (bhava).
Due to karmic existence and conditioned existence, there is rebirth. With rebirth comes aging, sickness, death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair.
In contrast, some Mahayana perspectives propose ideas such as "the world is empty," "the world is illusory," "neither empty nor existent," "neither existent nor non-existent," "both existent and non-existent," "true emptiness, wondrous existence," "eternal and non-dual," and so on. However, all these views are similarly derived from the grasping of sensory experiences. They lead to various corresponding practices, which in turn generate various cognitions and eventually aging, sickness, death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair.
All of this is the principle of "this being, that comes to be" (idappaccayatā): when ignorance exists, corresponding behaviors arise; when corresponding behaviors arise, consciousness exists; and so on, until aging, sickness, death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair exist. This is not the path of liberation—it is the path of samsara.
In truth, this pattern applies not only to Theravāda and Mahāyāna traditions but to all philosophical perspectives in the world. They are all generated based on the grasping of sensory experiences. However, if one can abandon these partial views, focus inward, and observe the mind as it truly is, one will see: when something exists, it arises; when it arises, it manifests. When something does not exist, it ceases; when it ceases, it disappears. By observing this, one can perceive the truth, develop wisdom, and eliminate ignorance. When ignorance ceases, so do conditioned behaviors, and eventually aging, sickness, death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair also cease.
This is the path of liberation taught by the Blessed One.
Because it leads to the cessation of suffering, it is called “well-taught” (svākkhāto).
Because it is realized through one’s own sensory experience, it is called “to be seen by oneself” (sandiṭṭhiko).
Because it is not a sequential cause-and-effect relationship but a conditional process where, with the arising of certain conditions, phenomena arise, and with the cessation of those conditions, phenomena cease—it is timeless (akāliko).
Because it can be pointed out and shown clearly to others, it is called “to be seen upon coming” (ehipassiko).
Because it can be followed through the Noble Eightfold Path with right view as its foundation, it is “leading onward” (opanayiko).
Because it can be directly known by the wise through their own efforts, it is “to be individually realized by the wise” (paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhi).