The Middle Way in practical life Are there any sutras or parables where Buddha applies the middle way, not to the self or to abstract metaphysical principles, but to concrete conflicts in practical life?
There is a large body of texts of discourses of the Buddha touching on lay life issues. Below, I paste a (probably not exhaustive) list of suttas compiled by a user from dhammalwheel forum. There's also an upcoming book from Bhikkhu Bodhi presenting a collection of suttas of discourses of the Buddha dealing with lay life themes: The Buddha's Teachings on Social and Communal Harmony: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon.


DN 31: Sigalovada Sutta — To Sigala/The Layperson's Code of Discipline
https://suttacentral.net/en/dn31
MN 14: Cula-dukkhakkhandha Sutta — The Lesser Mass of Stress
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.014.than.html
MN 41: Saleyyaka Sutta — The Brahmans of Sala
https://suttacentral.net/en/mn41
MN 52: Atthakanagara Sutta — To the Man from Atthakanagara
https://suttacentral.net/en/mn52
MN 53: Sekha-patipada Sutta — The Practice for One in Training
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.053.than.html
MN 54: Potaliya Sutta — To Potaliya
https://suttacentral.net/en/mn54
MN 56. Upāli, the Householder
https://suttacentral.net/en/mn56
MN 57: Kukkuravatika Sutta — The Dog-duty Ascetic
https://suttacentral.net/en/mn57
MN 58: Abhaya Sutta — To Prince Abhaya (On Right Speech)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html
MN 59: Bahuvedaniya Sutta — Many Things to be Experienced/The Many Kinds of Feeling
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.059.nypo.html
MN 60: Apannaka Sutta — A Safe Bet
https://suttacentral.net/en/mn60
MN 97: Dhanañjani Sutta — To Dhanañjani
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.097.than.html
MN 99:  To the Brahmin Subha
http://awake.kiev.ua/dhamma/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima2/099-subha-e1.html
MN 143: Anathapindikovada Sutta — Instructions to Anathapindika
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.143.than.html
SN 3.19: Aputtaka Sutta — Heirless (1)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.019.than.html
SN 3.20: Aputtaka Sutta — Heirless (2)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.020.than.html
SN 22.1: Nakulapita Sutta — To Nakulapita
https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.1
SN 22.3: Haliddakani Sutta — To Haliddakani
https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.3
SN 22.80: Pindolya Sutta — Almsgoers
https://suttacentral.net/en/sn22.80
SN 41.3: Isidatta Sutta — About Isidatta
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.003.than.html
SN 41.4: Mahaka Sutta — About Mahaka
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.004.than.html
SN 41.6: Kamabhu Sutta — With Kamabhu (On the Cessation of Perception &amp; Feeling)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.006.than.html
SN 41.7: Godatta Sutta — To Godatta (On Awareness-release)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.007.than.html
SN 41.10: Gilana Sutta — Sick (Citta the Householder's Last Hours)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.010.than.html
SN 47.29: Sirivaddha
https://suttacentral.net/en/sn47.29
SN 47.30: Manadinna
https://suttacentral.net/en/sn47.30
SN 55.30: Licchavi Sutta — To the Licchavi
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn55/sn55.030.than.html

Discourse to a Householder
https://suttacentral.net/en/sa107

AN 3.65: Kalama Sutta — To the Kalamas/The Buddha's Charter of Free Inquiry
https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.65
AN 3.66: Salha Sutta — To Salha
https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.66
AN 3.70: Muluposatha Sutta — The Roots of the Uposatha
https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.70
AN 3.92: Urgent
https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.92
AN 4.32: Sangaha Sutta — The Bonds of Fellowship
https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.32
AN 4.55: Samajivina Sutta — Living in Tune
https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.55
AN 4.60: The Layperson’s Proper Practice
https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.60
AN 4.62: Anana Sutta — Debtless
https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.62
AN 4.258: Kula Sutta — On Families
https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.258
AN 5.38: Saddha Sutta — Conviction
https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.38
AN 5.41: Adiya Sutta — Benefits to be Obtained (from Wealth)
https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.41
AN 5.43: Wished for
https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.43
AN 5.57: Upajjhatthana Sutta — Subjects for Contemplation
https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.57
AN 5.175: Candala Sutta — The Outcaste
https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.175
AN 5.176: Piti Sutta — Rapture
https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.176
AN 5.177: Vanijja Sutta — Business (Wrong Livelihood)
https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.177
AN 5.179: Gihi Sutta — The Householder
https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.179
AN 5.180: Gavesin Sutta — About Gavesin
https://suttacentral.net/en/an5.180
AN 6.16: Nakula’s Parents
https://suttacentral.net/en/an6.16
AN 8.25: Mahanama Sutta — Being a Lay Buddhist
https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.25
AN 8.26: Jivaka Sutta — To Jivaka (On Being a Lay Follower)
https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.26
AN 8.43: Visakhuposatha Sutta — The Discourse to Visakha on the Uposatha with the Eight Practices
https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.43
AN 8.54: Vyagghapajja (Dighajanu) Sutta — Conditions of Welfare/ To Dighajanu
https://suttacentral.net/en/an8.54
AN 10.92: Vera Sutta — Animosity
https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.92
AN 10.93: Ditthi Sutta — Views
https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.93
AN 10.94: Vajjiya Sutta — About Vajjiya
https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.94
AN 11.11: Mahanama Sutta — To Mahanama (1)
https://suttacentral.net/en/an11.11
AN 11.12: Mahanama Sutta — To Mahanama (2)
https://suttacentral.net/en/an11.12
Dhammapada — The Path of Dhamma
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/index.html
Ud 8.8: Visakha Sutta — To Visakha
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.8.08.than.html
Ud 2.5: Upasaka Sutta — The Lay Follower
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.05.than.html
Ud 2.6: Gabbhini Sutta — The Pregnant Woman
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.06.than.html
Ud 2.7: Ekaputta Sutta — The Only Son
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.07.than.html
Ud 2.9: Visakha Sutta — To Visakha
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.09.than.html
Ud 5.6: Sona Sutta — About Sona
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.5.06.than.html
Sn 1.2: Dhaniya Sutta — Dhaniya the Cattleman
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.02.than.html
Sn 2.1: Ratana Sutta — Treasures
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.01.piya.html
Sn 2.4: Maha-mangala Sutta — Protection
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.04.nara.html
Sn 2.14: Dhammika Sutta — Dhammika
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.14.irel.html