Madhyamaka is best understood as a profound analysis of reality and a view of emptiness, rather than as a self-contained, rival system of practice. It articulates how all phenomena are empty of inherent existence, yet still function conventionally, and in this way it serves as a philosophical and contemplative foundation for a wide range of Buddhist paths. Within traditional frameworks, it is commonly integrated into the standard progression of ethical discipline, meditative concentration, and insight, where Madhyamaka reasoning clarifies the nature of that insight. By revealing how clinging to any fixed notion of self or phenomena is misguided, it helps practitioners avoid both eternalism and nihilism while engaging in their usual disciplines.

Because of this, Madhyamaka is regularly combined with core meditative practices such as śamatha (calm abiding) and vipaśyanā (insight), as well as with the bodhisattva path of compassion and the six perfections. In Tibetan traditions, it functions alongside Mahāmudrā, Dzogchen, deity yoga, guru yoga, and other Vajrayāna methods, providing the view of emptiness that undergirds these transformative practices. Zen meditation and expression can also be informed by Madhyamaka’s deconstruction of fixed concepts and its articulation of the two truths, supporting a non-dual understanding without reifying meditative experiences. Even devotional practices such as Pure Land recitation and visualization can be illuminated by an awareness that these objects of devotion are also empty of inherent existence, which guards against subtle forms of attachment.

In this sense, Madhyamaka does not displace ethical training, mindfulness, or devotional methods; rather, it refines and deepens them. It can enrich approaches that emphasize impermanence and not-self by showing how these insights converge in the broader perspective of emptiness. When compassion, concentration, and disciplined conduct are cultivated together with Madhyamaka analysis, practitioners are better equipped to integrate the realization of emptiness into every aspect of practice. The result is not a separate path, but a middle way view that permeates and supports diverse Buddhist methods, allowing them to unfold without falling into extremes.