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## Thirty-third Chapter: The Middle Position
[193] The term "middle-position" (madhyagat) refers to a state where the awareness of the self (atmapradesha) is in the middle, or where the knowledge of all the self-regions is extinguished, and the awareness is still perceived through the middle part of the audaric body. In essence, when the field illuminated by the knowledge of the self (avdhijnana) is connected to the knower of the self (avdhijnani), it is called "inner-avdhi" (prabhyantar-avdhi). When the field illuminated by the knowledge of the self is not connected to the knower of the self, it is called "outer-avdhi" (bahyavdhi).
Narkas (hell beings) and all types of Devas (gods) due to their inherent nature (bhavasvabhava) remain only in the inner-middle of the knowledge of the self (avdhijnana), not in the outer. Their knowledge of the self illuminates the field in all directions, therefore they are in the middle of the avdhi.
Panchendriya-tiryanch (five-sensed animals) and other beings due to their inherent nature are not within the avdhi, but outside. Their avdhi is like a spark that illuminates intermittently. Humans are both in the middle and outside of the avdhi.
## Question and Answer
**2022.** "Venerable Sir, is the avdhijnana of Narkas (hell beings) desavdhi (limited to a specific region) or sarvavdhi (all-encompassing)?"
**2022.** "Gautama, their avdhijnana is desavdhi, not sarvavdhi."
**2023.** "The same applies to the Thanikumaras (a type of celestial being)."
**2024.** "Venerable Sir, is the avdhi of Panchendriya-tiryanch (five-sensed animals) desavdhi or sarvavdhi?"
**2024.** "Gautama, it is desavdhi, not sarvavdhi."
**2025.** "Venerable Sir, is the avdhijnana of humans desavdhi or sarvavdhi?"
**2025.** "Gautama, their avdhijnana is both desavdhi and sarvavdhi."
**2026.** "The avdhi of Vanamantar (celestial beings), Jyotishk (astronomers), and Vamania (celestial beings) is like that of Narkas (hell beings) (as mentioned in Sutra 2022)."
## Analysis: Desavdhi and Sarvavdhi
The knowledge of the self (avdhijnana) is of three types: the lowest, the middle, and the highest. The lowest and the middle avdhi are called desavdhi.
1. **Prajnapanna** (Commentary on Prameyabodhini), Bha. 5, pp. 773-775.
2. **Ibid.**, Bha. 5, pp. 810-812.