two extremes, monks, are not to be practiced by one who has gone forth from the world.
The Sermon At Benares
[This is one version of the Budhha’s first presentation of his doctrine, as related by a monk who is passing on the tradition as he heard it.]
Thus have I heard: at one time the Blessed One dwelt at Benares at Isipatana in the Deer Park. There the Blessed One addressed the five monks:-
“These two extremes, monks, are not to be practiced by one who has gone forth from the world. What are the two? That conjoined with the passions and luxury, low, vulgar, common, ignoble, and useless; and that conjoined with self-torture, painful, ignoble, and useless. Avoiding these two extremes the Tathagata [the Perfetwo extremes, monks, are not to be practiced by one who has gone forth from the world.ct One; that is, the Buddha] has gained the enlightenment of the Middle Path, which produces insight and knowledge, and tends to calm, to higher knowledge, enlightenment, Nirvana.
“And what, monks, is the Middle Path, of which the Tathagata has gained enlightenment, which produces insight and knowledge, and tends to calm, to higher knowledge, enlightenment, Nirvana? This is the noble Eightfold Way: namely, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This, monks, is the Middle Path, of which the Tathagata has gained enlightenment, which produces insight and knowledge, and tends to calm, to higher knowledge, enlightenment, Nirvana.”
And the Blessed One spoke kindly to his disciples, pitying them for their errors, and pointing out the uselessness of their endeavors, and the ice of ill-will that chilled their hearts melted away under the gentle warmth of the master’s persuasion.
Now the Blessed One set the wheel of the most excellent law rolling and he began to preach to the five monks, opening to them the gate of immortality, and showing them the bliss of Nirvana.
The Buddha said: “The spokes of the wheel are the rules of pure conduct; justice is the uniformity of their length; wisdom is the tire; modesty and thoughtfulness are the hubs in which the immovable axle of truth is fixed.
