John H. Choi, «The Doctrine of the Golden Mean in Qoh 7,15-18: A Universal Human Pursuit», Vol. 83 (2002) 358-374

Two issues surrounding the doctrine of the golden mean in Qoh 7,15-18 are addressed. First, a review and critique of previous research demonstrates that the passage indeed supports the golden mean, and does not present a theological problem to the reader. Secondly, the view that the golden mean is a Hellenistic product is challenged by considering: (1) the dating and (2) nature of cultural exchange between Greece and the Near East; (3) linguistic data indicating an early date of composition for Qoheleth; and (4) the presence of Near Eastern and Eastern ideas of the golden mean. These four factors demonstrate that the golden mean in Qoheleth likely is not of Greek origin from the time of Alexander the Great, but is likely a universal phenomenon.

Buddha comes to his teachings. Just as Qoheleth experienced firsthand the bitterness of life, and the ineffectiveness of traditional wisdom’s view on righteousness and wickedness, likewise, the Buddha experienced both the extravagant lifestyle of a rich man, and the destitute life of a beggar, and counsels that neither is appropriate for the one who seeks piety, recognizing that his tradition was unable to deal with either extreme. Further, the Buddha echoes Qoheleth’s bleak outlook on life, stating "Look about and contemplate life. Everything is transient and nothing endures" ⁸⁶. In teaching moderation, then, the Buddha, like Qoheleth, sees balance as a necessity for religious devotion. For the latter, it leads to the proper demonstration of the fear of God. For the former, "the middle way is a path which opens the eyes and bestows understanding, which leads...to Nirvana" ⁸⁷.

        Confucian philosophy also espouses an idea of the golden mean, and in fact, holds it in such high regard, that the doctrine of the golden mean is one of the Four Major Books of Confucian thought⁸⁸. Konzig, known to the West as Confucius (550 to 479 BC), regarded the golden mean, chung yung, as the perfect virtue, and the solution to societal ills⁸⁹. Further, Confucius applied the mean to theories of government and social practice⁹⁰, and much of his pedagogy focused on the mean⁹¹.