The Buddha describes the three practices—the addicted practice, the scorching practice, and the middle practice—contrasting indulgence in sensual pleasures, self-mortification, and the noble eightfold path.

AN 3.156-162 Untitled Discourses on Three Practices

“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, paṭipadā. Katamā tisso? Āgāḷhā paṭipadā, nijjhāmā paṭipadā, majjhimā paṭipadā.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, āgāḷhā paṭipadā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco evaṁvādī hoti evaṁdiṭṭhi: ‘natthi kāmesu doso’ti. So kāmesu pātabyataṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, āgāḷhā paṭipadā.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, nijjhāmā paṭipadā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco acelako hoti muttācāro, hatthāpalekhano, naehibhadantiko, natiṭṭhabhadantiko, nābhihaṭaṁ na uddissakataṁ na nimantanaṁ sādiyati. So na kumbhimukhā paṭiggaṇhāti, na kaḷopimukhā paṭiggaṇhāti na eḷakamantaraṁ na daṇḍamantaraṁ na musalamantaraṁ na dvinnaṁ bhuñjamānānaṁ na gabbhiniyā na pāyamānāya na purisantaragatāya na saṅkittīsu na yattha upaṭṭhito hoti na yattha makkhikā saṇḍasaṇḍacārinī na macchaṁ na maṁsaṁ na suraṁ na merayaṁ, na thusodakaṁ pivati. So ekāgāriko hoti ekālopiko, dvāgāriko hoti dvālopikosattāgāriko hoti sattālopiko; ekissāpi dattiyā yāpeti, dvīhipi dattīhi yāpetisattahipi dattīhi yāpeti; ekāhikampi āhāraṁ āhāreti, dvāhikampi āhāraṁ āhāretisattāhikampi āhāraṁ āhāretiiti evarūpaṁ addhamāsikampi pariyāyabhattabhojanānuyogamanuyutto viharati.

So sākabhakkhopi hoti, sāmākabhakkhopi hoti, nīvārabhakkhopi hoti, daddulabhakkhopi hoti, haṭabhakkhopi hoti, kaṇabhakkhopi hoti, ācāmabhakkhopi hoti, piññākabhakkhopi hoti, tiṇabhakkhopi hoti, gomayabhakkhopi hoti, vanamūlaphalāhāro yāpeti pavattaphalabhojī.

So sāṇānipi dhāreti, masāṇānipi dhāreti, chavadussānipi dhāreti, paṁsukūlānipi dhāreti, tirīṭānipi dhāreti, ajinampi dhāreti, ajinakkhipampi dhāreti, kusacīrampi dhāreti, vākacīrampi dhāreti, phalakacīrampi dhāreti, kesakambalampi dhāreti, vāḷakambalampi dhāreti, ulūkapakkhikampi dhāreti, kesamassulocakopi hoti kesamassulocanānuyogamanuyutto, ubbhaṭṭhakopi hoti āsanapaṭikkhitto, ukkuṭikopi hoti ukkuṭikappadhānamanuyutto, kaṇṭakāpassayikopi hoti kaṇṭakāpassaye seyyaṁ kappeti, sāyatatiyakampi udakorohanānuyogamanuyutto viharati iti evarūpaṁ anekavihitaṁ kāyassa ātāpanaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, nijjhāmā paṭipadā.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, majjhimā paṭipadā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu …pe… citte …pe… dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, majjhimā paṭipadā.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso paṭipadāti.

Tisso imā, bhikkhave, paṭipadā. Katamā tisso? Āgāḷhā paṭipadā, nijjhāmā paṭipadā, majjhimā paṭipadā.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, āgāḷhā paṭipadā …pe… ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, āgāḷhā paṭipadā.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, nijjhāmā paṭipadā …pe… ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, nijjhāmā paṭipadā.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, majjhimā paṭipadā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati; uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati; anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati; uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati ….

Chandasamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti vīriyasamādhi …pe… cittasamādhi …pe… vīmaṁsāsamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti …pe….

Saddhindriyaṁ bhāvetivīriyindriyaṁ bhāvetisatindriyaṁ bhāvetisamādhindriyaṁ bhāvetipaññindriyaṁ bhāveti …pe….

Saddhābalaṁ bhāvetivīriyabalaṁ bhāvetisatibalaṁ bhāvetisamādhibalaṁ bhāvetipaññābalaṁ bhāveti …pe….

Satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāvetidhammavicayasambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāvetivīriyasambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāvetipītisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāvetipassaddhisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāvetisamādhisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāvetiupekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …pe….

Sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāvetisammāsaṅkappaṁ bhāvetisammāvācaṁ bhāvetisammākammantaṁ bhāvetisammāājīvaṁ bhāvetisammāvāyāmaṁ bhāvetisammāsatiṁ bhāvetisammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti …. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, majjhimā paṭipadā. Imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso paṭipadā”ti.

Acelakavaggo chaṭṭho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Satipaṭṭhānaṁ sammappadhānaṁ,
Iddhipādindriyena ca;
Balaṁ bojjhaṅgo maggo ca,
Paṭipadāya yojayeti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, paṭipadā.

“Mendicants, there are three practices.

Katamā tisso?

What three?

Āgāḷhā paṭipadā, nijjhāmā paṭipadā, majjhimā paṭipadā.

The addicted practice, the scorching practice, and the middle practice.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, āgāḷhā paṭipadā?

And what’s the addicted practice?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco evaṁvādī hoti evaṁdiṭṭhi:

It’s when someone has this doctrine and view:

‘natthi kāmesu doso’ti.

‘There’s nothing wrong with sensual pleasures’;

So kāmesu pātabyataṁ āpajjati.

so they throw themselves into sensual pleasures.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, āgāḷhā paṭipadā.

This is called the addicted practice.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, nijjhāmā paṭipadā?

And what’s the scorching practice?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco acelako hoti muttācāro, hatthāpalekhano, naehibhadantiko, natiṭṭhabhadantiko, nābhihaṭaṁ na uddissakataṁ na nimantanaṁ sādiyati.

It’s when someone goes naked, ignoring conventions. They lick their hands, and don’t come or wait when called. They don’t consent to food brought to them, or food prepared on their behalf, or an invitation for a meal.

So na kumbhimukhā paṭiggaṇhāti, na kaḷopimukhā paṭiggaṇhāti na eḷakamantaraṁ na daṇḍamantaraṁ na musalamantaraṁ na dvinnaṁ bhuñjamānānaṁ na gabbhiniyā na pāyamānāya na purisantaragatāya na saṅkittīsu na yattha upaṭṭhito hoti na yattha makkhikā saṇḍasaṇḍacārinī na macchaṁ na maṁsaṁ na suraṁ na merayaṁ, na thusodakaṁ pivati.

They don’t receive anything from a pot or bowl; or from someone who keeps sheep, or who has a weapon or a shovel in their home; or where a couple is eating; or where there is a woman who is pregnant, breastfeeding, or who lives with a man; or where there’s a hound waiting or flies buzzing. They accept no fish or meat or beer or wine, and drink no fermented gruel.

So ekāgāriko hoti ekālopiko, dvāgāriko hoti dvālopikosattāgāriko hoti sattālopiko;

They go to just one house for alms, taking just one mouthful, or two houses and two mouthfuls, up to seven houses and seven mouthfuls.

ekissāpi dattiyā yāpeti, dvīhipi dattīhi yāpetisattahipi dattīhi yāpeti;

They feed on one saucer a day, two saucers a day, up to seven saucers a day.

ekāhikampi āhāraṁ āhāreti, dvāhikampi āhāraṁ āhāretisattāhikampi āhāraṁ āhāretiiti evarūpaṁ addhamāsikampi pariyāyabhattabhojanānuyogamanuyutto viharati.

They eat once a day, once every second day, up to once a week, and so on, even up to once a fortnight. They live pursuing the practice of eating food at set intervals.

So sākabhakkhopi hoti, sāmākabhakkhopi hoti, nīvārabhakkhopi hoti, daddulabhakkhopi hoti, haṭabhakkhopi hoti, kaṇabhakkhopi hoti, ācāmabhakkhopi hoti, piññākabhakkhopi hoti, tiṇabhakkhopi hoti, gomayabhakkhopi hoti, vanamūlaphalāhāro yāpeti pavattaphalabhojī.

They eat herbs, millet, wild rice, poor rice, water lettuce, rice bran, scum from boiling rice, sesame flour, grass, or cow dung. They survive on forest roots and fruits, or eating fallen fruit.

So sāṇānipi dhāreti, masāṇānipi dhāreti, chavadussānipi dhāreti, paṁsukūlānipi dhāreti, tirīṭānipi dhāreti, ajinampi dhāreti, ajinakkhipampi dhāreti, kusacīrampi dhāreti, vākacīrampi dhāreti, phalakacīrampi dhāreti, kesakambalampi dhāreti, vāḷakambalampi dhāreti, ulūkapakkhikampi dhāreti,

They wear robes of sunn hemp, mixed hemp, corpse-wrapping cloth, rags, lodh tree bark, antelope hide (whole or in strips), kusa grass, bark, wood-chips, human hair, horse-tail hair, or owls’ wings.

kesamassulocakopi hoti kesamassulocanānuyogamanuyutto,

They tear out their hair and beard, committed to this practice.

ubbhaṭṭhakopi hoti āsanapaṭikkhitto,

They constantly stand, turning down seats.

ukkuṭikopi hoti ukkuṭikappadhānamanuyutto,

They squat, committed to the endeavor of squatting.

kaṇṭakāpassayikopi hoti kaṇṭakāpassaye seyyaṁ kappeti,

They lie on a mat of thorns, making a mat of thorns their bed.

sāyatatiyakampi udakorohanānuyogamanuyutto viharati

They’re devoted to ritual bathing three times a day, including at dusk.

iti evarūpaṁ anekavihitaṁ kāyassa ātāpanaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto viharati.

And so they live pursuing these various ways of mortifying and tormenting the body.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, nijjhāmā paṭipadā.

This is called the scorching practice.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, majjhimā paṭipadā?

And what’s the middle practice?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;

It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

vedanāsu …pe…

They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …

citte …pe…

They meditate observing an aspect of the mind …

dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, majjhimā paṭipadā.

This is called the middle practice.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso paṭipadāti.

These are the three practices.

Tisso imā, bhikkhave, paṭipadā.

Mendicants, there are three practices.

Katamā tisso?

What three?

Āgāḷhā paṭipadā, nijjhāmā paṭipadā, majjhimā paṭipadā.

The addicted practice, the scorching practice, the middle practice.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, āgāḷhā paṭipadā …pe…

And what’s the addicted practice? …

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, āgāḷhā paṭipadā.

This is called the addicted practice.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, nijjhāmā paṭipadā …pe…

And what is the scorching practice? …

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, nijjhāmā paṭipadā.

This is called the scorching practice.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, majjhimā paṭipadā?

And what’s the middle practice?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati;

It’s when a mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise.

uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati;

They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen are given up.

anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati;

They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities arise.

uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati ….

They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are completed by development. …

Chandasamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti

They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm, and active effort.

vīriyasamādhi …pe…

They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to energy, and active effort.

cittasamādhi …pe…

They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to mental development, and active effort.

vīmaṁsāsamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti …pe….

They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to inquiry, and active effort. …

Saddhindriyaṁ bhāveti

They develop the faculty of faith …

vīriyindriyaṁ bhāveti

energy …

satindriyaṁ bhāveti

mindfulness …

samādhindriyaṁ bhāveti

immersion …

paññindriyaṁ bhāveti …pe….

wisdom …

Saddhābalaṁ bhāveti

They develop the power of faith …

vīriyabalaṁ bhāveti

energy …

satibalaṁ bhāveti

mindfulness …

samādhibalaṁ bhāveti

immersion …

paññābalaṁ bhāveti …pe….

wisdom …

Satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti

They develop the awakening factor of mindfulness …

dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti

investigation of principles …

vīriyasambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti

energy …

pītisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti

rapture …

passaddhisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti

tranquility …

samādhisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti

immersion …

upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …pe….

equanimity …

Sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti

They develop right view …

sammāsaṅkappaṁ bhāveti

right purpose …

sammāvācaṁ bhāveti

right speech …

sammākammantaṁ bhāveti

right action …

sammāājīvaṁ bhāveti

right livelihood …

sammāvāyāmaṁ bhāveti

right effort …

sammāsatiṁ bhāveti

right mindfulness …

sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti ….

right immersion …

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, majjhimā paṭipadā.

This is called the middle practice.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso paṭipadā”ti.

These are the three practices.”

Acelakavaggo chaṭṭho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Satipaṭṭhānaṁ sammappadhānaṁ,

Iddhipādindriyena ca;

Balaṁ bojjhaṅgo maggo ca,

Paṭipadāya yojayeti.

Qualities:

Displeasure

Displeasure

A feeling of mental pain or a disagreeable feeling or unease born of mental contact.

Also known as: mental pain, mental distress, melancholy, sadness
Pāli: domanassa
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Faith

Faith

Confidence in the Buddha's awakening and the efficacy of the path. It brightens and steadies the mind, removing doubt and inspiring energy toward wholesome practice. True faith rests on clarity and direct experience rather than mere belief.

Also known as: confidence, trust, belief, conviction, self-assurance
Pāli: saddha, pasanna
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Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anussati
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Psychic power

Psychic power

Supernormal capacities resulting from a practice of collectedness rooted in aspiration, determination, purification of mind, and investigation of phenomena.

Also known as: supernormal abilities, psychic ability, spiritual power
Pāli: iddhi, iddhimant
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Vigour

Vigour

Energetic effort and resilience in practice. It is the refusal to shrink back, the 'uphill' force that initiates and sustains wholesome actions against the gravity of habit.

Also known as: energy, effort, enthusiasm, zeal, application of will, persistence
Pāli: vīriya
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026