What did the Buddha call his path that avoids extreme asceticism and indulgence?

The Buddha called his path that avoids extreme asceticism and indulgence the Middle Way. In Pāli, the expression is majjhimā paṭipadā, often translated as the Middle Path.

The Buddha presented this teaching in the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, traditionally regarded as his first sermon after awakening. He addressed five ascetics who had previously practised severe austerities with him. The Buddha explained that a life devoted to sensual pleasure is one extreme, while self-mortification and harsh bodily denial are another.

The Middle Way is not simply a vague recommendation to compromise or seek comfort. In this context, it is specifically identified with the Noble Eightfold Path: right view, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration. These practices cultivate ethical conduct, mental discipline, and wisdom without treating either luxury or physical suffering as a path to liberation.

Buddhist texts also use “middle” language for a philosophical position that avoids extremes such as eternalism and annihilationism. That related meaning can cause confusion, but this question concerns the practical path between sensual indulgence and self-mortification.