In the Vinaya Pitaka, the Buddha told the monastics that one should avoid being mired in the duality of life.

Duality mentioned in Madhyamaka is the eternalist and nihilist view, whereas in the context of the way of living, duality denotes the impoverished and self-indulgent life.

For us ordinary people, it would be very difficult to consider matters like renunciation, bodhicitta and liberation if we must struggle constantly to make out a living. A harsh living condition may be helpful for some to generate renunciation, but renunciation developed under this circumstances is not real, as genuine renunciation must include aspiration to seek liberation. Poverty alone may not be enough reason for people to forsake samsara. Only those who have grasped the essence of the Dharma may possibly generate true renunciation. Therefore, Buddhists in general need not and should not deliberately live too poorly.

[Depicted from Luminous Wisdom Book Series 1 : The Right View ~ A Buddhist Mode of Living]