DHAMMA-KAKKA-PPAVATTANA-SUTTA The Foundation of the Kingdom of Righteousness
4. ‘What is that middle path, O Bhikkhus, avoiding these two extremes, discovered by the Tathâgata–that path which opens the eyes, and bestows understanding, which ‘leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full enlightenment, to Nirvâna? Verily! it is this noble eightfold path that is to say
‘Right views;
Right aspirations;
Right speech;
Right conduct;
Right livelihood;
Right effort;
Right mindfulness;
and Right contemplation.
‘This, O Bhikkhus, is that middle path, avoiding these two extremes, discovered by the Tathâgata–that path which opens the eyes, and bestows understanding,
which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full enlightenment, to Nirvâna!
[1. The Tathâgata is an epithet of a Buddha. It is interpreted by Buddhaghosa, in the Samangala Vilâsinî, to mean that he came to earth for the same purposes, after having passed through the same training in former births, as all the supposed former Buddhas; and that, when he had so come, all his actions corresponded with theirs.
‘Avoiding these two extremes’ should perhaps be referred to the Tathâgata, but I prefer the above rendering.]
Dhamma-Kakka-Ppavattana Sutta: Foundation of the Kingdon of Righteousness
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]