Adjusted to a Balanced Pitch

Tell me, Soņa, in the past, when you lived at home, weren’t you skilled at the lute (a stringed instrument)?

‘Yes, Venerable Sir.’

What do you think, Soņa? When its strings were too tight, was your lute well tuned and easy to play?

‘No, Venerable Sir.’

When its strings were too loose, was your lute well tuned and easy to play?

‘No, Venerable Sir.’

But, Soņa, when its strings were neither too tight nor too loose but adjusted to a balanced pitch, was your lute well tuned and easy to play?

‘Yes, Venerable Sir.’

So too, Soņa, if energy is aroused too forcefully this leads to restlessness, and if energy is too soft this leads to complacency.

Therefore, Soņa, be determined on a balance of energy, spiritual faculties, and take up achieving evenness of the object there.

‘Yes, Venerable Sir,’ the Venerable Soņa replied.

(Reference: AN 6.55)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares Teachings related to “the middle way” helping Practitioners understand that it is “the middle way” that leads to Enlightenment.

Using the musical instrument of the lute as an analogy, he guides a female Ordained Practitioner named Soņa to understand how the mind is also meant to be tuned to the middle or a “balanced pitch”.

Detailed explanation of The Middle Way is available in this same book series found in Chapter 6 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).