4👑☸ Cattāri Ariya-saccaṃ 四聖諦

4👑☸ → V&V💭 → V&V🌘 in 1st Jhāna 🔝

V&V💭 in 1st Jhāna🌘

vitakka & vicāra in 1st Jhāna🌘 is intrinsically the same in 1st jhāna as it is outside of it, with 2 conditions.
1. The content of those thoughts, unlike ordinary V&V, must be kusala (skillful) related to Dharma (AN ^6.73, AN ^6.74, AN ^6.75).
1b. The content of the Dhamma vitakka in first jhāna, often is just the meditator mentally reciting the oral instructions of the Dhamma (SN ^46.3).
For example, in 31asb🧟‍ body parts, even in non EBT following canonical Abhidhamma and Vimt. ,
one mentally recites the body parts (kesa, loma, ...) while in first jhāna.
2. The thinking is attenuated. The intensity and frequency of vitakka is reduced to the point where it would not tire the body
and/or block kāya-passaddhi (bodily pacification), pīti & sukha (rapture and pleasure) (MN ¹⁹).
First jhāna j1🌘 is vocal silence, SN ^36.11, where speech ceases, but thoughts connected to Dhamma continue (MN ¹⁹, MN ^78.6.2.0, MN ^125.3.10.3, AN ^8.30).
Second jhāna j2🌗 is noble silence, 👑😶 , where V&V ceases, S&S🐘💭 takes over.
In third jhāna j3🌖 , S&S🐘💭 does vipassana (AN ^4.41, AN ^9.36, MN ¹¹¹), a deeper version of first jhāna doing vipassana using V&V.
S&S and V&V correspond to sati and Dharma-vicaya of 7sb☀️ , SN ^46.3.
Sammā-saṅkappo 2💭 (right-resolve) precedes vitakka (thinking), but in most contexts involving jhāna you can treat them as equivalent (MN ¹¹⁷, MN ⁷⁸).
Even in Vism. and Abhidhamma V&V still means mental recitation of speech. After exiting 2nd jhāna, one mentally chants, 'earth [kasina], earth', to get into third jhāna.

V&V💭: vitakka & vicāra

Vitakka 💭 = directed verbal thought.
Vicāra 🕵️ = the evaluation of that very same directed thought, not a separate train of thought (SN ^46.3).
Vicāra explores, inspects, discriminates, evaluates, ponders, scrutinizes, discerns, considers the very same thought initially fixed upon by vitakka.
Vitakka decides on a topic, then gives it to vicara to analyze it further, KN Pe 7.72.
V&V are speech vocalization co-activities, MN ^44.5.
You need to think and evaluate with V&V before coherent speech can be vocalized.

V&V🌘 ¹ – Synopsis
V&V🌘 ^1.1 - Explicit continuity of kusala vitakka straight into 1st jhāna formula
V&V🌘 ^1.2 - Hierarchy of vedana, sañña, Vitakka
V&V🌘 ^1.3 - PreexistingTerms for Subverbal mental activity
V&V🌘 ^1.4 – Oral tradition, vācā, vaci-sankhara, vitakka
V&V🌘 ^1.5 – There is no vitakka controversy
V&V🌘 ^1.20 – Final remarks of synopsis
V&V🌘 ² – EBT V&V sutta references relevant to 1st jhāna
V&V🌘 ³ – 3 ways of Samādhi: Vitakka and Vicāra of 1st Jhāna fading out more gradually
V&V🌘 ⁴ – Vācā = voice, vocal-speech, relationship to V&V
V&V🌘 ⁵ – Noble Silence and speech ceasing in first jhāna
V&V🌘 ⁶ – V&V💭 &U🛆👁
V&V🌘 ⁷ – Vitakka = saṅkappa?
V&V🌘 ⁸ – Late EBT and Non-EBT perspectives
V&V🌘 ¹⁰ – Buddho, mantra vaci-sankhara
V&V🌘 ¹² – Conclusion
V&V🌘 ¹⁴ – Miscellaneous
V&V🌘 ¹⁶ – V&V💭 Vitakka & Vicāra in 1st Jhāna

1 – Synopsis

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1.1 - Explicit continuity of kusala vitakka straight into 1st jhāna formula

Detailed audit of MN 19, 78, 125, highlighted pali + english

🔗detailed audit

synopsis of section 1

What these selected suttas show, explicitly, is that the kusala vitakka that existed right before the moment of entry into first jhāna, is the same vitakka that continues into the standard first jhāna formula.

MN ¹²⁵: No room for equivocation and prevarication here! By omitting first jhana formula completely, this sutta shows that the vitakka happening concurrently in 4sp🐘 right before second jhana, is exactly the vitakka of first jhana as well as the Dhamma that sati works with in 4sp🐘.

MN ⁷⁸: reinforces the same idea as MN 125. By explicitly stating that akusala sankappa cease in first jhana, and that kusala sankappa do not cease until 2nd jhana, in effect is saying that kusala sankappa (equivalent to vitakka thoughts) is still active in first jhana.

MA 102: This is the agama parallel sutta to MN ¹⁹, differs from the pali in that it omits first jhana like MN ¹²⁵ does, for extra emphasis that the vitakka immediately prior to first jhana is the same one that’s inside standard first jhana formula.

MN ¹⁹: With a clear understanding of the straightforward MN 125 and MN 78, now when you review MN 19 you can see that it doesn't matter if the standard first jhana formula is there or not (for this sutta MN 19). Because it already explicitly describes the type of V&V that operates in first jhana, in addition to the other things that must happen for the samadhi to be of first jhana quality. The key differentiator between the first jhana vitakka, and the vitakka at the beginning of the sutta where the kusala vitakka is not jhana, due to ‘excessive thinking’, is the presence of passadhi/pacification awakening factor. At the moment where passadhi is present, then so is sukha/pleasure, so is piti/rapture, meaning the vitakka is now attenuated, and no longer excessive or intense enough to block passadhi and first jhana from happening.

AN ^8.30: eight thoughts of a great mean, those 8 thoughts are the same thoughts allowable in first jhana.

MN ¹¹⁷: the definition for samma sankappo includes vaci-sankhara, which is equivalent to vitakka-vicara, and so it includes the 3 right thoughts corresponding to 3 right resolves. Unlike the sutta references listed above this, MN 117 doesn’t include the explicit first jhana formula, but we mention this because the non-EBT reference below build on MN 117.



takko	Speculative-thinking,
vi-takko	Directed-thinking,
saṅkappo	resolve,
appanā	fixing,
By-appanā	Firm-fixing,
cetaso abhiniropanā	mind being applied,
Vacī-saṅ-khāro—	Vocalization-co-activities

from non EBT, also showing the same explicit continuity of vitakka into standard first jhana formula

KN Pe: Jhāna vitakka: Besides the explicit 3 types of kusala vitakka from the EBT, KN Pe gives a very rich and explicit description of the nuance and range of vitakka and vicara in first jhana.

Canonical Abhidhamma book 1 and book 2 vitakka definition (same as in first jhana Vb 12)



“Accompanied by directed-thought, accompanied by evaluation” [means]:	“Sa-vitakkaṃ sa-vicāran”ti
There is directed-thought; there is evaluation.	atthi vitakko, atthi vicāro.
Therein what is directed-thought?	Tattha katamo vitakko?
That which is speculative-thought, directed-thought,	Yo takko vitakko
resolve [a thought-formation or fashioning a thought],	saṅkappo
fixing, firm-fixing,	appanā by-appanā
application of the mind,	cetaso abhiniropanā
right-resolve.	sammā-saṅkappo—
This is called directed-thought.	ayaṃ vuccati “vitakko”.
Therein what is evaluation?	Tattha katamo vicāro?
That which is searching, exploring,	Yo cāro vi-cāro
constant-examining, frequent wandering,	anu-vicāro upa-vicāro
(the) mind's constant-explorativeness,	cittassa anu-sandhanatā
{the mind's} constant-observation.	an-upekkhanatā—
This is called evaluation.	ayaṃ vuccati “vicāro”.
Thus of this directed-thought and of this evaluation	Iti iminā ca vitakkena iminā ca vicārena
he is possessed, See section 357. furnished.	upeto hoti … pe … samannāgato.
Therefore this is called “accompanied by directed-thought, accompanied by evaluation”.	Tena vuccati “savitakkaṃ savicāran”ti.

Vimutti-magga (Vimt.) first jhana builds on the canonical Abhidhamma definition, and also explicitly includes the 3 kusala vitakkas, and seems to include KN Pe material as well. From the many meditation subjects in Vimt., especially 31 body parts, you can see that like the EBT, and unlike Vism. Visuddhimagga, the vitakka of early Abhidhamma first jhana works the same as it does in EBT, with the difference that some types of kusala vitakka such as the 6 recollections of AN 6.10 are considered too excessive and intense of thinking to be allowable in first jhana, and they created an ‘access samadhi’.

Note that access and fixed absorption in Vism. and Vimt. are quite different from each other, even though they’re both originally based on canoncial Abhidhamma. Vism. Is from a late period, where they made significant changes to Abhidhamma to advance their radical momentariness ideas, and redefine vitakka, vicāra, kāya, rūpa, into completely alien and incompatible meanings with EBT and even early Abhdihamma.

1.2 - Hierarchy of vedana, sañña, Vitakka

hierarchy of perception, thinking, proliferation (in and outside of jhāna)

Synopsis of section 2.

MN ¹⁸, MN ¹⁹, MN ²⁰ are 3 contiguous suttas with important things to say about first jhāna.

In MN ¹⁸, we see the hierarchy from raw sensory data, all the way to proliferation of too much thinking (vitakka).

Cakkhu + rūpe + viññāṇaṃ → phasso → vedeti (vedanā) → sañjānāti → vitakketi → papañceti

eye + forms + consciousness → contact → feel → perceive → think → proliferate

Similar to MN 18, 🔗DN 22 V&V which adds cetana, tanha, vicara.

AN ^4.41 confirms the same order of hierarchy of vedeti (vedanā) → sañjānāti (sañña) → vitakketi, and clearly is in the 4j🌕 samādhi context.

MN ⁷⁸ which states (by deduction) that skillful vitakka and sankappa are active and operational in first jhana, again confirms the hierarchy by saying thouse sankappa/vitakka depend on sañña/perceptions.

And where do these skillful resolves (sankappa) stem from? Where they stem from has been stated. You should say that they stem from perception. What perception? Perception takes many and diverse forms. Perceptions of renunciation, love, and kindness—skillful thoughts stem from this.

AN ^9.41, SN ^40.1, SN ^40.2: By examining what the impurities that are happening in 2nd jhana, you can see they again follow the hierarchy, there is perception/sañña and attention (manasi karoti) bubbling underneath vitakka/thoughts as subverbal mental activity and supressed before they can become thoughts that would disqualify one from 2nd jhana, sending them back to first jhana.

AN ^8.30: In this sutta, it's notable that these 8 thoughts, explicitly labeled as 'vitakka', are the same vitakka that transitions right into the sa-vitakka of first jhana. Especially notice the vitakka #8, which mentions papanca/proliferation of MN 18, which would be an excessive type of thinking disqualifying one from first jhana. And it serves as an example of what type of attenuated vitakka that MN 19, MN 78, MN 125 permit in first jhāna.

Conclusion:

The Buddha already has an established, consistent set of terms he uses to describe subverbal mental activity that precedes vitakka/thinking, and they follow that hierarchy from MN 18. There is no need to overload vitakka to cover subverbal mental activity.

Detailed audit, highlighted pali + english

🔗detailed audit

1.3 - PreexistingTerms for Subverbal mental activity

no need to hijack ‘vitakka’ and overload it with subverbal meaning

As section 2 covered, sañña/perception and manasi karoti (attention) are the preferred terms used most frequently.
But there are a number of other terms used occasionally.

AN ^3.60 sutta on mind reading. The contrast between part (2c) which directly ‘hears’ (sutva vitakka) thinking, and part (2d) where mind encompassing mind reads the subverbal ‘mano sankhara’.
(part 2c: ‘hearing’ vitakka thoughts)

but by hearing the sound of the directed thought & evaluation	api ca kho vitakkayato vicārayato
of a person thinking directed thoughts and evaluating, [saying,]	Vitakka-vip-phāra-saddaṃ sutvā ādisati —

(part 2d: ‘reading’ subverbal mano-sankhara before it becomes a vitakka thought)

and encompassing the awareness [of the other] with his own awareness, he discerns,	cetasā ceto paricca pajānāti —
'Given the way the mental-fabrications of this venerable person are inclined,	‘yathā imassa bhoto mano-saṅkhārā paṇihitā
the directed thoughts of his mind will immediately think about this.'	imassa cittassa anantarā amuṃ nāma vitakkaṃ vitakkessatī’ti.

MN ²⁰ 5 methods of removing unwanted thoughts:
In method 4, to slow down vitakka (thoughts), one slows down the vitakka-sankhara

(regarding) those thoughts,	tesaṃ vitakkānaṃ
Thought-formation-stilling (should be his) mind’s-activity	Vitakka-saṅkhāra-saṇṭhānaṃ manasi-kātabbaṃ.

MN ¹¹⁷ samma sankappo definition includes terms used by late Abhidhamma to replace meaning of vitakka

fixing,	appanā
Firm-fixing,	By-appanā
mind being applied,	cetaso abhiniropanā

Those are the terms late Abhidhamma uses to redefine vitakka, Appanā samādhi is “fixed penetration”, and the redefinition of vitakka as “initial application” is based on the ‘cetaso abhiniropana’.

conclusion of section 3

There are other terms as well, but these 3 terms, vitakka sankhara, mano sankhara, abhiniropana, are more than enough to show a prior precedent where the Buddha used terms to accurately denote subverbal mental activity, leaving no need to hijack ‘vitakka’ and give it additional subverbal range.
Hence, in the standard first jhana formula when it refers to vitakka, it’s referring to vitakka as ordinary thinking, the unspoken, unvocalized ‘mental talk’ that a meditator with psychic power can ‘hear’, or even ‘read’ the subverbal mental activity before it becomes a fully formed ‘thought’.

1.4 – Oral tradition, vācā, vaci-sankhara, vitakka

Thousands of years before the Buddha showed up, there was already an established oral tradition way of learning and teaching the brahmins used, to memorize the vedas (sati), recite them orally (vāca, vocalized speech), and reflect on the meaning of those dhamma teachings with vitakka, vicāra, anupekkha (thinking, evaluation, reflection/observation).
These terms are intimately connected and in order for the oral tradition to work, they have to be used coherently and consistently.
If you try to plug in the Vism. Redefinition of vitakka of ‘initial application’ then it breaks the system.
Vitakka and vicara needs to be coherent, communicable speech, that gets recited into the form of vāca (vocalized speech).
When the Buddha came along and composed his Dhamma teachings, the sangha of disciples continued the oral tradition for 500 years, even though printing technology (carving rocks, inscribing leaves) was available. So vitakka and vicara has a very specific meaning, in order for this whole system of learning and transmitting teachings to work.

MN ⁴⁴ defines vaci-sankhara as vitakka and vicara.

pubbe kho, āvuso visākha,	prior to [vocalizing speech], friend Visakha,
vitakketvā vicāretvā	(one) directs-thoughts (and) evaluates [those very thoughts],
pacchā vācaṃ bhindati,	afterwards, vocal-speech breaks-out,
tasmā vitakka-vicārā vacī-saṅkhāro.	Therefore directed-thought-&-evaluation are vocal-speech-fabrications.

MN 44 also defines 3 types of sankhara which gradually cease through the 9 samadhi attainments.

SN ^36.11 gives further detail on the relationship between vaca, vaci sankhara and vitakka as they fade out gradually in the 9 samadhi attainments.

1. paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ samāpannassa	1. (with) first jhāna attained,
🚫🗣️💬 vācā niruddhā hoti.	🚫🗣️💬 vocalization-of-speech has ceased.
2. dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ samāpannassa	2. (with) second jhāna attained,
🚫(V&V💭) vitakka-vicārā niruddhā honti.	🚫(V&V💭) directed-thought-&-evaluation has ceased.

What this means, is vocalizing speech from first jhana would require an energy dispersion that would inhibit passaddhi, piti, sukha, or decrease it enough to not qualify for first jhana.
In second jhana, if one were to exercise the thinking of vitakka and vicara, that energy dispersion would knock one out of the ekodi and samadhi of 2nd jhana, and revert to a lower first jhana.

There’s a common misunderstanding of that passage where people believe it means it’s impossible to speak in first jhana, and impossible to think in 2nd jhana. That’s wrong. Personal experience with meditation will clear things up, and also suttas such as:
AN ^9.41 which uses descriptive terminology of the impurities bubbling underneath each of the 9 samadhi attainments. Cetana, sankhara, will, choice, intention, are not shut off in the first 7 meditative attainments (MN 111). You can notice the perceptions/sañña bubbling underneath, but you don’t have to ACT on those impulses.

Many other passages in the suttas show how vitakka in first jhana is intimately connected with the oral tradition functions of memorizing, reciting, hearing, thinking and reflecting, and the Buddha must be using vitakka to mean kusala Dharma vitakka (skill thought relevant to dharma) .
These selected suttas here are especially relevant because they show the explicit continuity between first jhana vitakka and the vitakka right outside of first jhana.

AN ^5.26: involves hearing sound of dhamma talk, v&v, reciting dhamma, 7sb☀️ and 4j🌕. It's also located in a contiguous cluster of suttas that address deep jhāna samādhi, such as AN 5.28 which contains the 4 famous similes.
AN ^5.73 V&V, upekkha, recitation, samatha, jhāna
AN ^6.56 Phagguna attained arahantship with hearing, V&V. Jhāna not explicitly stated here, but if it's not first jhana using vitakka, then you have the uncomfortable problem of explaining why even bother defining 4 jhanas when you can just use ordinary thinking to attain arahantship.
AN ^7.61 Maha Moggallana uses V&V and reciting dhamma to stop drowsiness in samādhi. Do you seriously believe he's ever not in 4j🌕 or 4ip 🌕⚡ or j4🌕 āneñja⚡ quality of mind?
SN ^46.3: This sutta is listed because it’s the prototypical and most complete 7sb☀️ sutta showing all 7 steps clearly in an oral tradition context. But in the suttas, it appears in truncated or slightly varied forms well over a 100 times.

Why do you think noble silence is 2nd jhāna, and not first?

SN ^21.1: defines noble silence, 👑😶 , as 2nd jhana, not first. If vitakka were the Vism. Redefined variety of ‘initial application’, then first jhana would be noble silence. What kind of mental talking could there be if one’s mind is glued to visual nimitta or kasina? See the full article on noble silence (👑😶) for all the places it’s referenced so you can see the context.
Therefore, first jhana is just vocal silence, SN ^36.11, refraining from vocalizing mental speech of vitakka.
2nd jhana is noble silence, because a mind reader wouldn’t ‘hear’ mental talk of vitakka of a 2nd jhana meditator. In contrast, the mind reader could read the mind of a first jhana meditator and ‘hear’ vitakka thoughts related to Dhamma, such as, “may he be happy”, “head hair, body hair”, etc.

Jain founder doesn’t believe 2nd jhana is possible

SN ^41.8 Jain founder doesn’t believe 2nd jhana, samadhi that is without vitakka and vicara, is possible.
Now he’s not a Buddhist, so he’s using vitakka and vicara in the way the rest of the world understands it, as ‘thinking and evaluation.’ Otherwise you would need Buddhagosa, Ajahn Brahm, and B. Sujato to go back in a 🔗vitakka time machine and explain to him that vitakka means “initial application”, not “thinking”.

1.5 – There is no vitakka controversy

There is just crime and lack of punishment (as of this writing).

In 1969, U Thittila translated into English, vitakka & vicara everywhere in the canonical Abhidhamma as 'intial application & sustained application.' This is completely wrong. It's not just wrong, it's criminal. It's a type of false equivalence fallacy. 'Initial application' is a subset of vitakka (thinking), according to MN 117 and the canonical Abhidhamma definition of vitakka. But you can not translate vitakka as 'intial application'. A subset ('initial application') is not equivalent to the set ('vitakka' = thinking).

proof: U Titthila wrongly translates and interprets vitakka as 'initial application'

The only place 'vitakka' ever means 'initial application' is in Vism., and only in the section where it redefines jhāna, vitakka, under earth kasina. In doing this, they depart from canonical Abhidhamma.
But even in Vism. kasina meditations, vitakka still means 'thinking', and mental recitation!

Especially if you examine this Abhidhamma commentary passage,
proof: early Abhidhamma 31 body parts vitakka is mental recitation,
compare to kayagata 31 body parts in Vimt. vs. Vism., you can see that in the early Abhidhamma you could simultaneously do 4 brahmaviharas, 31 body parts, with first jhana using mental recitation of thinking of key words.

And even in the very spot where Vism. redefines jhana vitakka
🔗under earth kasina, 'vitakka' still means 'thinking!'

Illegitimate Legitimacy

Why would U Thittila commit this crime? Because it's a hard sell, convincing the Buddhist world to accept the new redefined meaning of vitakka, as understood in Vism.'s redefinition of jhāna. So he translated vitakka everywhere into 'initial application' to groom everyone into gradually accepting this wrong definition. Due to survivorship bias (winners write the history books), with late Theravada promulgating their redefined Abhidhamma and redefined jhana, their wrong views on jhana are commonly accepted as truth.

Just as science advances when great scientists of our generation stand on the shoulders of giants, criminals gleefully stand on the shoulders of giant criminals to continue the crime (see: B. Sujato's 'placing the mind', and B. Analayo's EBMS riddled with fallacies). The only way to stop this is to educate people on the correct translation and understanding of 'vitakka.' It has to be a grass roots effort, and individuals have to collectively petition and apply pressure on popular teachers to relabel their erroneous interpretation of jhana and vitakka so that they don't contradict EBT. For example, Ajahn Brahm's samādhi system I've relabeled as Jhabrama Jhana is not Jhāna

conclusion of this section:

vitakka in first jhana is of 3 types: renunciation, good will, non harm. Even in canonical Abhidhamma!
🔗Proof: Do I have to spell it out?
Vitakka can not be translated or understood as 'initial application' (U Thittila) or 'placing the mind' (B. Sujato) for these reasons proven with detailed audits above (in linked articles).
1. By equivalence fallacy: 'initial application' is a subset of 'thinking' (vitakka) and 'mental recitation' (vaci sankhara).
2. 'initial application' is an anachronism. Vism. came 1000 years after the Buddha, you can't substitute a redefintion back into the original teachings which predates it by 1000 years. 🔗Uness you use the vitakka time machine
3. Even in Abhidhamma Vism., vitakka as vaci-sankhara (mental recitation, unverbalized thoughts) is used in kasina meditation!
4. Even if you were to attempt to wrongly translate 'vitakka', at minimum it would need to be 'intitial application on a kusala vitakka that is nekkhamma, abyapada, avihimsa'.

1.20 – Final remarks of synopsis

(work in progress)

MN ⁵⁹, MN ¹³, MN ¹⁴, prime examples of 5kg sukha vs. 1st jhana sukha

If you plug in vitakka 'placing the mind' as vaci-sankhara, you break the fidelity of the oral tradition and you get
🔗B. Sujato mumbling incoherently.

🔗proof: V&V are vaci sankhara

V&V💭 🔗simile of bird corrupted by vism.

comprehensive survey of vitakka & vicāra in first jhāna
KN Pe 7.72: gloss of V&V and 4 jhānas

Even animals use V&V💭 to communicate

V&V as vaci-sankhara, co-activities of speech, is not just an integral part of human oral tradition transmission, it’s a basic universal function of how intelligent animals communicate.
Chimpanzees, 🔗dogs intuitively use V&V.
🔗cats use V&V to save their human friends' lives.

One of most convincing pieces of evidence, is the uniformity of 31asb body parts vitakka and first jhana usage from EBT to abhidhamma. 🔗detailed audit.

2 – EBT V&V sutta references relevant to 1st jhāna

EBT V&V sutta references relevant to 1st jhāna

AN anguttara V&V
AN ^3.33 dhamma-takka is first jhāna
AN ^3.60 telepathy, “hearing” V&V
AN ^4.11 vitakka here is definitely first and second jhāna context
AN ^4.22 sankappa, upekkha, in samādhi
AN ^4.35 vitakka & sankappa adjacent to 4j, mastery of thought
AN ^5.26 involves hearing sound of dhamma talk, V&V, reciting dhamma, 7sb and 4j
AN ^5.73 V&V, upekkha, recitation, samatha, jhāna
AN ^5.176 seclusion, rapture, implied V&V of first jhāna, 500 lay followers doing 1st jhāna
AN ^5.179 500 lay followers with thinking first jhāna are now stream enterers, but uses code phrases “pleasurable abiding” and abhi-cetasika
AN ^6.10 recollection of 3 gems, virtue, generosity, devas into jhāna
AN ^6.56 Phagguna attained arahantship with hearing, V&V
AN ^6.73, AN ^6.74, AN ^6.75 three suttas on first jhāna V&V
AN ^7.61 uses V&V and reciting dhamma to stop drowsiness in samādhi
AN ^8.30 8 thoughts of great man lead to 4 jhānas
AN ^8.63 three ways of samādhi, 4sp and 4bv
AN ^9.14 sankappa & vitakka, nama rupa is source, samādhi and sati and panna
AN ^9.41 Buddha doing imperfect first jhāna, using V&V
AN ^11.11 adds 5 other items, but otherwise same 6 items as AN ^6.10
AN ^11.12 same as AN ^11.11, with this interesting variation
DN Digha V&V
DN ¹⁸ three ways to use implicit vitakka to arouse mudita, piti, sukha, to activitate 7sb☀️
DN ²¹ vitakka as source of desire/chanda, second jhāna (no vitakka) better than j1
DN ²² v&v above subverbal mental activity in hierarchy, explicit continuity of v&v into first jhāna️
DN ^28: contains same passage as AN ^3.60 telepathy, “hearing” V&V️
KN Khuddhaka V&V
KN Iti 38 similar to MN ¹⁹ in showing types of positive thoughts
KN Mil 3.3.13-14 two similes for V&V don’t support vism. As well as EBT
KN Snp‍ ^4.7 wrong jhāna has sankappa (thinking)
KN Snp‍ ^5.13 thinking and reflecting on world being bound by desire
KN Ud 1.1, 7 days after awakening, 12ps & thinking in jhāna
KN Ud 1.2, same setup as KN Ud 1.1, using 12 psn nirodha and slightly different verse
KN Ud 1.3, same setup as KN Ud 1.1, using 12 ps forward and reverse
MN majjhima V&V
MN ¹⁸ contact → feel → perceive → think → proliferate
MN ¹⁹ lower bound of first jhāna, too much thinking makes body tired
MN ¹⁹ has 3 types of “right intention” and “wrong intention”)
( kāma vitakko)
MN ²⁰ using 5 nimittas of samādhi to get into 2nd jhāna
MN ³⁶ Buddha as a boy stumbles into first jhāna
MN ⁴⁴ “applied thought and sustained thought doesn’t make sense here
MN ⁷⁸ kusala sankappa (and thoughts) don’t cease until 2nd jhāna
MN ¹¹⁷ samma saṅkappo = vitakka
MN ¹²⁵ first jhāna skipped after 4sp
SN samyutta V&V
SN ^1.17 V&V, sankappa calmed like turtle drawing in, to nirvana, JST
SN ^1.64 use V&V to penetrate nandi/craving, to nirvana, JST
SN ^21.1 noble silence is 2nd jhāna
SN ^22.80 three akusala thoughts and animitta samādhi
SN ^36.11 nine gradual sankhara cessations, speech ceases in 1st jhāna, V&V in second
SN ^41.8 Jain founder doesn’t believe 2nd jhāna is possible
SN ^47.10 directed (with V&V) and undirected bhavana (2nd jhāna and up)
Vin Vinaya
pli-tv-kd8 recalling generosity to 7sb, like AN ^6.10
EBT in Āgamas
SA ⁹²⁶ V&V is verbal thought, not SKF
MA 102 || MN ¹⁹ parallel Nian jing 念經 (MA 102 at T26. 589a)
MA 102 || MN ¹⁹ omits first jhāna like MN ¹²⁵
SA ⁴⁷⁴ 止息: ānanda thinks in jhāna, || SN ^36.11
(while in jhāna, thinking, then emerging)
(3 types of vedana/feelings)
MN ⁴⁴, SN ^41.6 (Fabrications: bodily, voice, mind)

AN anguttara V&V

AN 3.33 dhamma-takka is first jhana

AN ^3.33 dhamma-takka is first jhana

	(verse)
♦ “pahānaṃ kāmasaññānaṃ,	170“The abandoning of both
domanassāna cūbhayaṃ.	sensual perceptions and dejection;
♦ thinassa ca panūdanaṃ,	the dispelling of dullness,
kukkuccānaṃ nivāraṇaṃ.	the warding off of remorse;370""

(previous line, 5niv⛅ hindrances, next line is j4🌕 4th jhana, line after that dhamma-takka is j1🌘 first jhana)

♦ “upekkhā-sati-saṃ-suddhaṃ,	171“purified equanimity and mindfulness
dhamma-takka-purejavaṃ.	preceded by reflection on the Dhamma:
♦ aññā-vimokkhaṃ pabrūmi,	this, I say, is emancipation by final knowledge,
avijjāya pabhedanan”ti VAR.	the breaking up of ignorance.”371

(In verse sections, slight variations to standard formulas occur to match meter and rhyme. So insead of upekkha-sat-pari-suddhim, here we have upekkha-sat-sam-suddham. Instead of Dhamma-vitakka, we have Dhamma-takka here)

AN 3.60 telepathy, “hearing” V&V

AN ^3.60

Now the fact that it says the mind reader “hears”/sutva the person’s V&V (vitakka and vicara) makes it clear vaci-sankhara, speech fabrications, are “thoughts and consideration” of a complexity very close to spoken language. Otherwise, what thoughts could you read of someone in a frozen samadhi gluing their mind to a kasina?
Also consider the passages on noble silence 👑😶, and it's clear V&V could not possibly be VRJ and ABRJ variety.

(relating to sted abhinna #3)
The big problem of V&V as "placing and connecting mind" in relation to S&S (sati and sampajano)

So as you can see, when one is doing citta anupassana, while in 3rd jhana, on themself, or as a psychic power reading someone’s else’s mind, the person’s mind they’re reading, as it switches through various mental states, would require the mind reader’s own mind to “place his own mind and keep it connected” through the various changes. But if the mind reader is in 4th jhana, and the ability to place and connect the mind has been abandoned after first jhana, this doesn’t make sense.
🔗audit AN 3.60, DN 28 V&V mind reading B. Sujato fallacy.

AN 4.11 vitakka here is definitely first and second jhana context

AN ^4.11, AN ^4.12

🔗"loving the act of not placing the mind": AN 4.11 and AN 4.12, B. Sujato abducts vitakka of second jhana and makes it disappear forever

AN 4.22 sankappa, upekkha, in samadhi

AN ^4.22

https://notesonthedhamma.blogspot.com/2019/03/an-422-v-and-upekkha-in-samadhi.html
upekkha is a factor in 3rd and 4th jhana. The difference between its usage here, and in jhana, is that in jhana the ikkhati (looking upon), is powered by samadhi, upa-ikkhati = equanimously observing.

sankappo (often synonymous with vitakka/thinking). Look at it's usage with samadhi, in close proximity to speaking. Even ordinary speaking clearly and thinking clearly is under the provenance of samadhi. There's isn't a special vitakka of only "placing the mind", devoid of thought for jhana. Don't believe the lies from Vism.

Yo uddhatena cittena,	The creature with a restless mind
samphañca bahu bhāsati;	speaks a lot of nonsense.
A-samāhita-saṅkappo,	Their resolves (are) not undistractible-&-lucid.
asaddhammarato mago;	and they don’t like the true teaching.
Ārā so thāvareyyamhā,	They’re far from seniority, with their bad views
pāpadiṭṭhi anādaro.	and their lack of regard for others.

AN 4.35 vitakka & sankappa adjacent to 4j, mastery of thought

AN ^4.35 similar to MN ²⁰

bahu’ssa janatā ariye ñāye patiṭṭhāpitā, yadidaṃ kalyāṇadhammatā kusaladhammatā.	They’ve established many people in the noble procedure, that is, the principles of goodness and skillfulness.
So yaṃ vitakkaṃ ākaṅkhati vitakketuṃ taṃ vitakkaṃ vitakketi, yaṃ vitakkaṃ nākaṅkhati vitakketuṃ na taṃ vitakkaṃ vitakketi;	They think what they want to think, and don’t think what they don’t want to think.
yaṃ saṅkappaṃ ākaṅkhati saṅkappetuṃ taṃ saṅkappaṃ saṅkappeti, yaṃ saṅkappaṃ nākaṅkhati saṅkappetuṃ na taṃ saṅkappaṃ saṅkappeti.	They consider what they want to consider, and don’t consider what they don’t want to consider.
Iti cetovasippatto hoti vitakkapathe.	Thus they have achieved mental mastery of the paths of thought.
Catunnaṃ jhānānaṃ ābhicetasikānaṃ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṃ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī.	They get the four jhānas—pleasureful meditations in the present life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty.
Āsavānaṃ khayā anāsavaṃ cetovimuttiṃ paññāvimuttiṃ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṃ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.	They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.

AN 5.26 involves hearing sound of dhamma talk, V&V, reciting dhamma, 7sb and 4j

AN ^5.26 vitakka used to enter 7sb☀️ and 4j🌕

AN 5.73 V&V, upekkha, recitation, samatha, jhāna

AN ^5.73

AN 5.73 paṭhama-dhamma-vihārī
(1. Not Dhamma-dweller: no samatha, excessive dhamma-study)
(2. Not Dhamma-dweller: no samatha, excessive teaching-dhamma to others)
(3. Not Dhamma-dweller: no samatha, excessive recitation)
(4. Not Dhamma-dweller: no samatha, excessive V&V)
(5. Dhamma-dweller: has samatha, memorized dhamma but not too much V&V)
(conclusion: do jhāna!)

(4. Not Dhamma-dweller: no samatha, excessive V&V)

4. ♦ “puna caparaṃ, bhikkhu, bhikkhu	4. “Then there is the case where a monk
yathā-sutaṃ	takes the Dhamma as he has heard
yathā-pariyattaṃ dhammaṃ	& studied it
cetasā anu-vitakketi anu-vicāreti	and thinks about it, evaluates it,
manas-ān-upekkhati.	and examines it with his intellect.
so tehi dhamma-vitakkehi divasaṃ atināmeti,	He spends the day in Dhamma-thinking.
riñcati paṭisallānaṃ,	He neglects seclusion.
nānuyuñjati ajjhattaṃ ceto-samathaṃ.	He doesn’t commit himself to internal tranquility of awareness.
ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhu —	This is called
‘bhikkhu vitakka-bahulo,	a monk who is keen on thinking,
no dhammavihārī’”.	not one who dwells in the Dhamma.

AN 5.176 seclusion, rapture, implied V&V of first jhana, 500 lay followers doing 1st jhana

AN ^5.176

https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/an-5-176-seclusion-rapture-implied-v-v-of-first-jhana/10564

excerpt:

viveka (seclusion) of first jhana, according to B. Sujato ‘viveka’ here means secluded from sensual pleasures, not the mind divorced from 5 sense faculties, such that one could not hear sounds, or feel the sting of mosquito bites.

The discourse is addressed to Anathapindika and other lay supporters known for generously providing requisites for the monks and sangha. They are being exhorted to enter and dwell in the pīti of seclusion from sensual pleasures from time to time. You would not expect lay people with busy lay lives to enter a formless samadhi where the mind is divorced from the body, as a first jhana.

While first and second jhana (they contain pīti) are not explicitly stated in this sutta, the Theravada commentary states that is what Sariputta is referring to, and there is no reason to doubt the commentary here.

So if first jhāna’s pīti is derived (in this sutta) from householders getting a strong emotional uplift reflecting on their generosity to sangha, what do you think V&V (vitakka & vicara) means for their first jhana?

Which is more likely:

thinking and pondering their generosity and it’s rewards, leading to rapture, bodily pacification, sukha, samadhi
“placing their minds and keeping it connected” (to what exactly?)
(V&V, jhana, not explicitly mentioned in this sutta)

...

According to AN 5.176, his translation mentions 5 things qualifying the viveka, and it doesn’t include the body disappearing and not being able to hear sounds. In the first jhana formula, B. Sujato may interpret viveka differently, but this just goes to show again the duck connundrum. Then you have all of these things, samadhi while walking, piti that is from first jhana and second jhana, but not actually jhana, levitating but not actually being in 4th jhana. How likely is it that the Buddha has hundreds of categories of sub duck species: access duck, neighborhood duck, momentary duck, walking duck, sitting duck, enraptured duck like he’s in jhana but he’s not actually in jhana, enraptured duck that is walking, but not in jhana, etc?

Or maybe the Buddha was a pragmatist and simply called all that “jhana”?
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, quietly abides in noble silence like a 2nd jhana duck, it’s a duck!

AN 5.179 500 lay followers with thinking first jhana are now stream enterers, but uses code phrases “pleasurable abiding” and abhi-cetasika

http://notesonthedhamma.blogspot.com/2019/07/an-5179-v-in-first-jhana-is-thinking.html

AN ^5.179, AN ^6.10

AN 6.10 recollection of 3 gems, virtue, generosity, devas into jhāna

AN ^6.10

(7sb → 1. 🐘) Yasmiṃ, mahānāma, samaye ariyasāvako tathāgataṃ anussarati	(7sb → 1. 🐘) When a noble disciple recollects the Realized One
nevassa tasmiṃ samaye	at that time
rāga-pariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti,	their mind is not full of greed,
na dosa-pariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti,	their mind is not full of hate,
na moha-pariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti;	their mind is not full of delusion;
ujugata-me-vassa tasmiṃ samaye cittaṃ hoti	At that time their mind is unswerving,
tathāgataṃ ārabbha.	based on the Realized One.
(7sb → 2. 💭) Ujugata-citto kho pana, mahānāma, ariya-sāvako	(7sb → 2. 💭) (of) unswerving-mind, ***, (a) noble-one’s-disciple
labhati attha-vedaṃ,	obtains {experience of inspiration, awe, and joy in} – meaning,
labhati dhamma-vedaṃ,	obtains {experience of inspiration, awe, and joy in} – Dhamma-[teachings],
labhati dhamm-ūpasaṃhitaṃ pā-mojjaṃ.	obtains Dhamma-connected virtuous-mirth.
(7sb → 4. 😁) pa-muditassa pīti jāyati,	(7sb → 4. 😁) (For one with) virtuous-mirth rapture (is) born.
(7sb → 5. 🌊) pīti-manassa kāyo passambhati,	(7sb → 5. 🌊) (with) en-raptured-mind (the) body (is) pacified.
(7sb → 5.5 🙂) passaddha-kāyo sukhaṃ vedeti,	(7sb → 5.5 🙂) (with) pacified-body, {they experience} pleasure.
(7sb → 6. 🌄) sukhino cittaṃ samādhiyati.	(7sb → 6. 🌄) (For one in) pleasure, (the) mind becomes undistractible-&-lucid.

(7sb awakening-factor causual chain gets applied to all 6 recollections)
on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust, hatred, or delusion; on that occasion his mind is simply straight, based on the Tathāgata. A noble disciple whose mind is straight gains inspiration in the meaning, gains inspiration in the Dhamma, gains joy connected with the Dhamma. When he is joyful, rapture arises. For one with a rapturous mind, the body becomes tranquil. One tranquil in body feels pleasure. For one feeling pleasure, the mind becomes concentrated. This is called a noble disciple who dwells in balance amid an unbalanced population,1258"" who dwells unafflicted amid an afflicted population. As one who has entered the stream of the Dhamma,1259"" he develops recollection of the Buddha.

AN 6.56 Phagguna attained arahantship with hearing, V&V

AN ^6.56

Jhāna and samādhi are not explicitly stated in AN 6.56 Phagguna-sutta.

But it’s hard to believe one hears a Dhamma talk, or reflects on memorized Dhamma with V&V (vitakka & vicara) without being in at least first jhana to attain non-returner or arahantship.

If you’re saying these 6 scenarios happened without jhana, then you’re in a very awkward position of trying to explain what kind of samadhi looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, but is not jhana.

This sutta is talking about not just Phagguna, but is a general description of 6 ways one can attain non-return or arahantship from listening to (while in first jhana), or thinking and considering Dhamma (B. Sujato’s translation of V&V here).

So which is it? If he’s in first jhana, then V&V would need to be translated as “placing the mind and keeping it connected”, which would be incoherent. If he’s not in first jhana, then where in the suttas does it explain the origination and province of all these duck-like species that aren’t ducks but look and behave exactly like them?

AN 6.56 phagguna, although not mentioning jhana explicitly, is following the same 7sb pattern (where hearing and V&V are involved) in AN 5.26.

Now AN 5.26 also doesn’t explicitly say “jhana”, but when you have piti-samobojjhanga present, passadhi-sambojjhanga present, samadhi-sambojjhanga present, that’s absolutely 4 jhana quality of samadhi. Or else you have yet more mysterious species of duck like creatures that look, act, quack like a duck but are supposedly not actually ducks.

AN 6.73, AN 6.74, AN 6.75 three suttas on first jhana V&V

AN ^6.73, AN ^6.74, AN ^6.75 three suttas on first jhana V&V

AN 6.73 is straightforward:

Without abandoning 5niv (hindrances), one can not enter and remain in first jhana.
without seeing danger in sensual pleasures with good-view (su-ditthi = work in progress version of “right view”), one can not enter and remain in first jhana.

AN 6.74 also straightforward.

Without abandoning 3 wrong thoughts (vitakka) corresponding to wrong version of samma sankappa (right resolve), one can not enter and remain in first jhana.
Without abandoning 3 wrong perceptions (sañña) corresponding to wrong version of samma sankappa (right resolve), one can not enter and remain in first jhana.

Now the next sutta is where it gets interesting, and fills in the blank of “what about the 3 right thoughts and 3 right perceptions in first jhana?” missing from AN 6.74.

AN 6.75 is titled “dukkha”, but perhaps should have been called “tatiya-taj-jhāna-sutta”

as it logically follows the previous two suttas in numerical sequence, and thematically, though slightly disguised by a code phrase and a reference to karma and rebirth.
“dittha dhamma sukha vihara” = abiding in four jhanas

First note that “dittha dhamma sukha vihara” is a code phrase that means first three jhanas, or all four jhanas (AN 6.29, AN 4.41).
And the STED third jhana states “yam tam ariya accikkhanti: upekkhamo satima sukha viharaya” ti. (The noble ones declare: ‘equanimously-observing, rememberful, (one has) pleasurable abiding’)

B. sujato (perhaps inadvertently) translates vitakka correctly here in AN 6.75

Chahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu diṭṭheva dhamme sukhaṃ viharati avighātaṃ anupāyāsaṃ apariḷāhaṃ, kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā sugati pāṭikaṅkhā. Katamehi chahi? Nekkhammavitakkena, abyāpādavitakkena, avihiṃsāvitakkena, nekkhammasaññāya, abyāpādasaññāya, avihiṃsāsaññāya—imehi, kho, bhikkhave, chahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu diṭṭheva dhamme sukhaṃ viharati avighātaṃ anupāyāsaṃ apariḷāhaṃ, kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā sugati pāṭikaṅkhā”ti.

When a mendicant has six qualities they live happily in the present life—without distress, anguish, or fever—and when the body breaks up, after death, they can expect a good rebirth. What six? Thoughts of renunciation, love, and kindness. And perceptions of renunciation, love, and kindness. When a mendicant has these six qualities they live happily in the present life—without distress, anguish, or fever—and when the body breaks up, after death, they can expect a good rebirth.”

Conclusion: You can have thoughts (vitakka) of renunciation, love, kindness in first jhana!

So what does that tell you about how vitakka should be translated in the STED(standard EBT definition) first jhana formula?
You can have perceptions (sañña) of renunciation, love, kindness in 2nd, 3rd, 4th jhana!

Vitakka (thought) drops out before 2nd jhana, but the “flavor” of that thought remains as a perception, and that perception can take you to up to 3rd or 4th jhana.

Vimutti-magga would say the nekkkhamma perception can take you to 4th jhana, but perceptions of the other two, closely related to 4bv (brahma viharas), can only take you to 3rd jhana because those perceptions would necessarily include perceptions of sukha (sukha needs to drop out before 4th jhana).

AN 7.61 uses V&V and reciting dhamma to stop drowsiness in samādhi

seven ways to ward off drowsiness

AN ^7.61

While the word “jhana” doesn’t appear explicitly, observing the use of V&V in these 7 steps gives you a very good idea of how V&V must be the V&V-OR, not the V&V-SKF variety to be able to actively fight off the hindrances while in jhana.
Besides, do you seriously think Maha Moggallana ever has samadhi less than four jhanas and 4ip 🌕⚡?

AN 8.30 8 thoughts of great man lead to 4 jhānas

AN ^8.30

♦ “sādhu sādhu, anuruddha!	“Good, Anuruddha, very good.
sādhu kho tvaṃ, anuruddha,	It’s good that you think
(yaṃ taṃ mahā-purisa-vitakkaṃ) vitakkesi —	these thoughts of a great person:
(1) ‘app'-icchassāyaṃ dhammo,	(1) ‘This Dhamma is for one of few-desires,
nāyaṃ dhammo mah'-icchassa;	not for one of many-desires.
(2) santuṭṭhassāyaṃ dhammo,	(2) This Dhamma is for one who is content,
nāyaṃ dhammo a-santuṭṭhassa;	not for one who is dis-content.
(3) pavivittassāyaṃ dhammo,	(3) This Dhamma is for one who is reclusive,
nāyaṃ dhammo saṅgaṇik-ārāmassa;	not for one who who delights-in-social-gathering.
(4) āraddha-vīriyassāyaṃ dhammo,	(4) This Dhamma is for one of aroused-vigor,
nāyaṃ dhammo kusītassa;	not for one who is lazy.
(5) upaṭṭhitas-satissāyaṃ dhammo,	(5) This Dhamma is for one who has established-mindfulness,
nāyaṃ dhammo muṭṭhas-satissa;	not for one of muddled-mindfulness.
(6) samāhitassāyaṃ dhammo,	(6) This Dhamma is for one who is concentrated,
nāyaṃ dhammo a-samāhitassa;	not for one who is un-concentrated.
(7) paññavato ayaṃ dhammo,	(7) This Dhamma is for one endowed with discernment,
nāyaṃ dhammo dup-paññassā’ti.	not for one of dubious-discernment.’
tena hi tvaṃ, anuruddha,	Now then, Anuruddha,
imam-pi aṭṭhamaṃ mahā-purisa-vitakkaṃ vitakkehi —	the eighth great-person's-thought (that one) thinks:
(8) ‘nip-papañc-ārāmassāyaṃ dhammo nip-papañca-ratino,	(8) ‘This Dhamma is for one who enjoys non-proliferation-[of-objectification],-1- who delights in non-proliferation,
n-āyaṃ dhammo papañc-ārāmassa papañca-ratino’”ti.	not-for-one who enjoys & delights in proliferation-[of-objectification].’

(8 great vitakka lead to 4j)

♦ “yato kho tvaṃ, anuruddha, ime aṭṭha mahāpurisavitakke vitakkessasi,	“Anuruddha, when you think these eight thoughts of a great person, then—
tato tvaṃ, anuruddha, yāvadeva VAR ākaṅkhissasi,	whenever you want—
vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ vivekajaṃ pītisukhaṃ paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharissasi.	quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful qualities, you will enter & remain in the first jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation.

(...2nd , 3rd, 4th jhāna also...)

(4j = heightened mental states = ābhi-cetasikānaṃ)

♦ “yato kho tvaṃ, anuruddha,	“Now, when
ime ca aṭṭha mahā-purisa-vitakke vitakkessasi,	{you think} these eight great-man's-thoughts **********,
imesañ-ca catunnaṃ jhānānaṃ	the four jhānas --
ābhi-cetasikānaṃ	heightened-mental-states,
diṭṭha-dhamma-sukha-vihārānaṃ	(providing a) pleasant abiding here and now,
nikāma-lābhī bhavissasi	(you) {become} (one who) easily-obtains (that),
a-kiccha-lābhī	not (one who with) trouble obtains (that),
a-kasira-lābhī,	not (one who with) difficulty obtains (that).

If you carefully examine the content of those 8 thoughts, and then see how seemlessly that transitions into 4 jhanas, how could those 8 vitakka not be the same vitakka in first jhana? Also notice the eighth thought’s dhammo nip-papañca-ratino, to this MN 18’s passage Where does V&V sit in relation to papanca? Is it closer to placing the mind on perceptions, or closer to thinking and proliferation? (8) ‘nip-papañc-ārāmassāyaṃ dhammo nip-papañca-ratino, _x0001_(8) ‘This Dhamma is for one who enjoys non-proliferation-[of-objectification],-1- who delights in non-proliferation, n-āyaṃ dhammo papañc-ārāmassa papañca-ratino’”ti. _x0001_not-for-one who enjoys & delights in proliferation-[of-objectification].’ _x0001_ _x0001_ Now compare the above (derived from Ven. Thanissaro) to B. Sujato’s version: 4.1First you’ll reflect (vitakkessasi) on these eight thoughts (vitakka) of a great man. Then whenever you want, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, you’ll enter and remain in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, (vitakka & vicara) while placing the mind and keeping it connected. This is not stylistic preference in translation style, that just doesn’t work. Vitakka needs to carry meaning all the way through that paragraph. Think about what the Buddha’s follower, hearing that paragraph in Pali, is thinking. It’s another 1000 years before Buddhaghosa is born and popularizes the VRJ jhana with its redefined V&V (vitakka & vicara). Buddhaghosa isn’t there to tell the pali listener, that vitakka has a special meaning just for first jhana. If the Buddha really had intended for V&V to mean “placing the mind & keeping it connected” for first jhana, he would have to use pali words for the pali listener to convey that meaning. For example, manasi-karoti (attention) to sañña (perceptions) or samādhi-nimitta. Or else B. Sujato would need to show where exactly in the EBT the Buddha gives V&V that special definition for first jhana. AFAIK that doesn’t exist in the EBT. Otherwise Buddhaghosa would not need to redefine V&V for first jhana in the Vism. and override the authority of the EBT. Most of the other sutta passages similar to this, where Dhamma-vitakka, thoughts related to Dhamma teachings, directly lead to samadhi, show the 7sb (awakening factors) or what I call the 7sb+ (just slightly modified form of 7sb without the ‘bojjhanga’ suffix explicit) as the transition. This sutta really exemplifies so many things that differentiates EBT 4 jhanas from other jhana samadhi systems. You can see how those kind of thoughts don’t lead to more (unproductive) thoughts or proliferation/objectification. They are kindle for the EBT jhana fire, intended to stoke and get the a-vitakka-a-vicara samadhi going, generate a great deal of pamojja and pīti (mental rapture). Whereas the Vism. model of samadhi/jhana makes jhana into a pure samatha kung fu devoid of vipassana capability.

first jhana turing test

If you want to know if your first jhana is genuine, this sutta to me acts like a great litmus test, or a Turing test of sorts. Does your first jhana generate a kind of happiness during, after the meditation that has the flavor of seclusion, satisfaction, contentment with the Dhamma (teachings that lead to the end of suffering), such that you would readily choose it without question over pleasures based on 5 cords of sense pleasure? (food, sex, gambling, etc)? If you choose to practice what you consider fist jhana over food or sex, that’s a strong indicator to me it’s a genuine first jhana. There are plenty of people who are great at samatha kung fu, body disappears, can’t feel their body or hear sounds in their arupa samadhi, but they are no less tempted by good food or sex outside of their meditation despite all of their samatha kung fu prowess. It’s missing the key distinction of the Buddha’s jhana, and that’s what “vivicceva kamehi” (seclusion from sensual pleasure desire) means in first jhana, not the 5 senses being shut off from the mind.

AN 8.63 three ways of samadhi, 4sp and 4bv

AN ^8.63, samadhi in 3 ways samādhi in 3 ways

also see 4nt → 8aam #8 → Samma Samadhi → Samādhi in 3 ways: with V&V, without vicāra, etc. for a more detailed exploration of how V&V-SKF doesn’t make sense for that model.

AN 9.14 sankappa & vitakka, nama rupa is source, samadhi and sati and panna

AN ^9.14

1. Nāma-rūp-ārammaṇā → purisassa [S&V] saṅkappa-vitakkā uppajjantī	1. name & form (is) basis → man's [S&V] resolves-&-thinking arising
2. Dhātūsu → [S&V] nānattaṃ gacchantī	2. (Through) properties → [S&V] go to multiplicity
3. Phassa-samudayā → [S&V]	3. contact (is) origination → of [S&V]
4. Vedanā-samosaraṇā → [S&V]	4. feeling (is) meeting place → of [S&V]
5. Samādhi-p-pamukhā → [S&V]	5. undistractible-lucidity (is) presiding state → of [S&V]
6. Sat(i)-ādhipateyyā → [S&V]	6. remembrance (is) governing principle → of [S&V]
7. Paññ-uttarā → [S&V]	7. discernment (is) surpassing state → of [S&V]
8. Vimutti-sārā → [S&V]	8. release (is) heartwood → of [S&V]
9. Amat-ogadhā → [S&V]	9. diving (into the) deathless → from [S&V]

AN 9.41 Buddha doing imperfect first jhana, using V&V

AN ^9.41

"So it is, Ananda. So it is. Even I myself, before my Awakening, when I was still an unawakened Bodhisatta, thought: 'Renunciation is good. Seclusion is good.' But my heart didn't leap up at renunciation, didn't grow confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace. The thought occurred to me: 'What is the cause, what is the reason, why my heart doesn't leap up at renunciation, doesn't grow confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace?' Then the thought occurred to me: 'I haven't seen the drawback of sensual pleasures; I haven't pursued [that theme]. I haven't understood the reward of renunciation; I haven't familiarized myself with it. That's why my heart doesn't leap up at renunciation, doesn't grow confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace.'

[1] "Then the thought occurred to me: 'If, having seen the drawback of sensual pleasures, I were to pursue that theme; and if, having understood the reward of renunciation, I were to familiarize myself with it, there's the possibility that my heart would leap up at renunciation, grow confident, steadfast, & firm, seeing it as peace.'

"So at a later time, having seen the drawback of sensual pleasures, I pursued that theme; having understood the reward of renunciation, I familiarized myself with it. My heart leaped up at renunciation, grew confident, steadfast, & firm, seeing it as peace. Then, quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities, I entered & remained in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation.

"As I remained there, I was beset with attention to perceptions dealing with sensuality. That was an affliction for me. Just as pain arises as an affliction for a healthy person, even so the attention to perceptions dealing with sensuality that beset me was an affliction for me.

AN 11.11 adds 5 other items, but otherwise same 6 items as AN 6.10

AN ^11.11, AN ^6.10

AN 11.12 same as AN 11.11, with this interesting variation

AN ^11.12

91(6) “Here, Mahānāma, you should recollect the Tathāgata thus: ‘The Blessed One is … the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.’ When a noble disciple recollects the Tathāgata, on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust, hatred, or delusion; on that occasion his mind is simply straight, based on the Tathāgata. A noble disciple whose mind is straight gains inspiration in the meaning, gains inspiration in the Dhamma, gains joy connected with the Dhamma. When he is joyful, rapture arises. For one with a rapturous mind, the body becomes tranquil. One tranquil in body feels pleasure. For one feeling pleasure, the mind becomes concentrated.

(a different ending portion of refrain than AN 11.11)

Mahānāma, you should develop this recollection of the Buddha while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down. You should develop it while engaged in work and while living at home in a house full of children. [334]

92(7) “Again, Mahānāma you should recollect the Dhamma … (8) … the Saṅgha … (9) … your own virtuous behavior … (10) … your own generosity … (11) … the deities thus….

DN Digha V&V

DN 18 three ways to use implicit vitakka to arouse mudita, piti, sukha, to activitate 7sb☀️

DN ¹⁸: also see 🔗three ways to use vitakka to arouse mudita, piti, sukha, to activitate 7sb☀️ sequence.
The sutta is similar to the pair of suttas AN ^5.176 and AN ^5.179 where they use vitakka to attain first jhana, and these lay followers later become stream enterers. In AN 5, those are 500 lay followers. In DN 18, it’s 2 million stream enterers from Magadha.

(1) hear Dharma to escape lust, uses 7sb to think about Dharma to arouse piti and sukha of first jhana
(2) hear Dharma to attain 4 jhanas, uses 7sb to think about Dharma to arouse piti and sukha of first jhana
(3) hear Dharma to differentiate kusala from akusala, uses 7sb to think about Dharma to arouse piti and sukha of first jhana

more than 2 million Magadan stream enterers have passed away

Whoever has experiential confidence in the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and has the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones; and whoever is spontaneously reborn, and is trained in the teaching; in excess of 2,400,000 such Magadhan devotees have passed away having ended three fetters. They’re stream-enterers, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, bound for awakening.	Ye hi keci, bho, buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgatā, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgatā, saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgatā, ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgatā, ye cime opapātikā dhammavinītā sātirekāni catuvīsatisatasahassāni māgadhakā paricārakā abbhatītā kālaṅkatā tiṇṇaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ parikkhayā sotāpannā avinipātadhammā niyatā sambodhiparāyaṇā.
And there are once-returners here, too.	Atthi cevettha sakadāgāmino.
And as for other people	Atthāyaṃ itarā pajā,
who I think have shared in merit—	puññābhāgāti me mano;
I couldn’t even number them,	Saṅkhātuṃ nopi sakkomi,
for fear of speaking falsely.”	musāvādassa ottappan”ti.

DN 21 vitakka as source of desire/chanda, second jhana (no vitakka) better than j1

DN ²¹: also see 🔗DN 21 cmy. on vitakka, which says it's definitely 'thinking', like in Vinicchaya.

“Chando pana, mārisa, kiṃnidāno kiṃsamudayo kiṃjātiko kiṃpabhavo;	“But what is the source of desire?”
kismiṃ sati chando hoti;
kismiṃ asati chando na hotī”ti?
“Chando kho, devānaminda, vitakkanidāno vitakkasamudayo vitakkajātiko vitakkapabhavo;	“Thought is the source of desire.”
vitakke sati chando hoti;
vitakke asati chando na hotī”ti.
“Vitakko pana, mārisa, kiṃnidāno kiṃsamudayo kiṃjātiko kiṃpabhavo;	“But what is the source of thought?”
kismiṃ sati vitakko hoti;
kismiṃ asati vitakko na hotī”ti?
“Vitakko kho, devānaminda, papañcasaññāsaṅkhānidāno papañcasaññāsaṅkhāsamudayo papañcasaññāsaṅkhājātiko papañcasaññāsaṅkhāpabhavo;	“Concepts of identity that emerge from the proliferation of perceptions are the source of thoughts.”
papañcasaññāsaṅkhāya sati vitakko hoti;
papañcasaññāsaṅkhāya asati vitakko na hotī”ti.
“Kathaṃ paṭipanno pana, mārisa, bhikkhu papañcasaññāsaṅkhānirodhasāruppagāminiṃ paṭipadaṃ paṭipanno hotī”ti?	“But how does a mendicant appropriately practice for the cessation of concepts of identity that emerge from the proliferation of perceptions?”

Meditation on Feelings 2.2. Vedanākammaṭṭhāna

2.2. Vedanākammaṭṭhāna	2.2. Meditation on Feelings
“Somanassampāhaṃ, devānaminda, duvidhena vadāmi—	“Lord of gods, there are two kinds of happiness, I say:
sevitabbampi, asevitabbampi.	that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate.
Domanassampāhaṃ, devānaminda, duvidhena vadāmi—	There are two kinds of sadness, I say:
sevitabbampi, asevitabbampi.	that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate.
Upekkhampāhaṃ, devānaminda, duvidhena vadāmi—	There are two kinds of equanimity, I say:
sevitabbampi, asevitabbampi.	that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate.

V&V vitakka must be referring to samadhi

Somanassampāhaṃ, devānaminda, duvidhena vadāmi sevitabbampi, asevitabbampīti iti kho panetaṃ vuttaṃ, kiñcetaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ?	Why did I say that there are two kinds of happiness?
Tattha yaṃ jaññā somanassaṃ	Take a happiness of which you know:
‘imaṃ kho me somanassaṃ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyantī’ti, evarūpaṃ somanassaṃ na sevitabbaṃ.	‘When I cultivate this kind of happiness, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not cultivate that kind of happiness.
Tattha yaṃ jaññā somanassaṃ	Take a happiness of which you know:
‘imaṃ kho me somanassaṃ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhantī’ti, evarūpaṃ somanassaṃ sevitabbaṃ.	‘When I cultivate this kind of happiness, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should cultivate that kind of happiness.
Tattha yañce savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ, yañce avitakkaṃ avicāraṃ, ye avitakke avicāre, te paṇītatare.	And that which is free of directing-thought and evalulating-said-thoughts is better than that which still involves directing-thought and evalulating-said-thoughts.
Somanassampāhaṃ, devānaminda, duvidhena vadāmi sevitabbampi, asevitabbampīti.	That’s why I said there are two kinds of happiness.
Iti yaṃ taṃ vuttaṃ, idametaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ.

(same pattern repeated for domanassa and upekkha)

DN 22 v&v above subverbal mental activity in hierarchy, explicit continuity of v&v into first jhana️

In MN ¹⁸, we see the hierarchy from raw sensory data, all the way to proliferation of too much thinking (vitakka).

Cakkhu + rūpe + viññāṇaṃ → phasso → vedeti (vedanā) → sañjānāti → vitakketi → papañceti
eye + forms + consciousness → contact → feel → perceive → think → proliferate

Similar to MN 18, 🔗DN 22 V&V which adds cetana, tanha, vicara.

DN 28: contains same passage as AN 3.60 telepathy, “hearing” V&V️

DN ²⁸, AN ^3.60
🔗audit AN 3.60, DN 28 V&V mind reading B. Sujato fallacy.

KN Khuddhaka V&V

KN Iti 38 similar to MN 19 in showing types of positive thoughts

♦ “tathāgataṃ, bhikkhave, arahantaṃ sammāsambuddhaṃ dve vitakkā bahulaṃ samudācaranti — khemo ca vitakko, paviveko ca VAR . abyāpajjhārāmo VAR, bhikkhave, tathāgato abyāpajjharato. tamenaṃ, bhikkhave, tathāgataṃ abyāpajjhārāmaṃ abyāpajjharataṃ eseva vitakko bahulaṃ samudācarati — ‘imāyāhaṃ iriyāya na kiñci byābādhemi tasaṃ vā thāvaraṃ vā’ti.	“Bhikkhus, two thoughts often occur to the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One: the thought of security (for beings) and the thought of solitude.
♦ “pavivekārāmo, bhikkhave, tathāgato pavivekarato. tamenaṃ, bhikkhave, tathāgataṃ pavivekārāmaṃ pavivekarataṃ eseva vitakko bahulaṃ samudācarati — ‘yaṃ akusalaṃ taṃ pahīnan’ti.	“The Tathāgata, bhikkhus, is one who delights in and enjoys non-ill will. As the Tathāgata delights in and enjoys non-ill will, this thought often occurs to him: ‘By this behaviour I do not oppress anyone either frail or firm.’The Tathāgata, bhikkhus, is one who delights in and enjoys solitude. As the Tathāgata delights in and enjoys solitude, this thought often occurs to him: ‘What is unwholesome has been abandoned.’
♦ “tasmātiha, bhikkhave, tumhepi abyāpajjhārāmā viharatha abyāpajjharatā. tesaṃ vo, bhikkhave, tumhākaṃ abyāpajjhārāmānaṃ viharataṃ abyāpajjharatānaṃ eseva vitakko bahulaṃ samudācarissati — ‘imāya mayaṃ iriyāya na kiñci byābādhema tasaṃ vā thāvaraṃ vā’ti.	“Therefore, bhikkhus, I say, you too must live delighting in and enjoying non-ill will. As you so live this thought will often occur to you: ‘By this behaviour we do not oppress anyone either frail or firm.’
♦ “pavivekārāmā, bhikkhave, viharatha pavivekaratā. tesaṃ vo, bhikkhave, tumhākaṃ pavivekārāmānaṃ viharataṃ pavivekaratānaṃ eseva vitakko bahulaṃ samudācarissati — ‘kiṃ akusalaṃ, kiṃ appahīnaṃ, kiṃ pajahāmā’”ti. etamatthaṃ bhagavā avoca. tatthetaṃ iti vuccati —	“Bhikkhus, you too must live delighting in and enjoying solitude. As you so live this thought will often occur to you: ‘What is unwholesome? What has not been abandoned? What have we abandoned?’”

While “jhana”, “piti”, sukha, are not explicitly called out, comparing to MN 19 it’s clear this is what’s going on. The “solitude” is also the using the same word in the STED 1st jhana formula for seclusion from sensual pleasure (kāmehi) and unskillful dhammas.

KN Mil 3.3.13-14 two similes for V&V don’t support vism. As well as EBT

KN: Milinda-pañha 3.3.13-14
🔗KN Mil 3.3.13-14 detailed analysis

MN majjhima V&V

MN 18 contact → feel → perceive → think → proliferate

(6aya. Eye base 👁)

Cakkhu + rūpe + viññāṇaṃ → phasso → vedeti (vedanā) → sañjānāti → vitakketi → papañceti	eye + forms + consciousness → contact → feel → perceive → think → proliferate
Cakkhuñc-āvuso, paṭicca rūpe ca uppajjati cakkhu-viññāṇaṃ,	Eye consciousness arises dependent on the eye and sights.
tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phasso,	The meeting of the three is contact.
phassa-paccayā vedanā,	Contact is a condition for feeling.
yaṃ vedeti taṃ sañjānāti,	What you feel, you perceive.
yaṃ sañjānāti taṃ vitakketi,	What you perceive, you think about.
yaṃ vitakketi taṃ papañceti,	What you think about, you proliferate.
yaṃ papañceti tato-nidānaṃ	What you proliferate about is the source
purisaṃ papañca-saññā-saṅkhā samudācaranti	from which a person is beset by concepts of identity that emerge from the proliferation of perceptions.
atīt-ānāgata-paccuppannesu cakkhu-viññeyyesu rūpesu.	This occurs with respect to sights known by the eye in the past, future, and present.

(same pattern for remaining 6aya. 👁 👂 👃 👅 👆 💭)

note this sutta informs how vitakka is used in MN 19 and MN 20.

MN 19 lower bound of first jhāna, too much thinking makes body tired

even kusala/wholesome vitakka+vicara need to calm down to get into first jhāna. Simile of cowherd is used. Pali+English audit forthcoming that shows exactly how reducing vitakka leads into jhāna.

MN 19 has 3 types of “right intention” and “wrong intention”)

♦ “pubbeva me, bhikkhave, sambodhā	“Monks, before my self-awakening,
anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva	when I was still just an unawakened bodhisatta,
sato etadahosi —	the thought occurred to me:
‘yaṃnūnāhaṃ dvidhā katvā dvidhā katvā vitakke vihareyyan’ti.	‘Why don’t I keep dividing my thinking into two sorts?’
so kho ahaṃ, bhikkhave,	So I made
yo cāyaṃ kāma-vitakko	thinking imbued with sensuality,
yo ca byāpāda-vitakko	thinking imbued with ill will,
yo ca vihiṃsā-vitakko —	& thinking imbued with harmfulness
imaṃ ekaṃ bhāgamakāsiṃ;	one sort,

(Note these 3 thoughts are exactly the samkappo in “right intention” in 8aam)

yo cāyaṃ nekkhamma-vitakko	and thinking imbued with renunciation,
yo ca abyāpāda-vitakko	thinking imbued with non-ill will,
yo ca avihiṃsā-vitakko —	& thinking imbued with harmlessness
imaṃ dutiyaṃ bhāgamakāsiṃ.	another sort.

( kāma vitakko)

♦ 207. “tassa mayhaṃ, bhikkhave,	“And as I
evaṃ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato	remained thus heedful, ardent, & resolute,
uppajjati kāma-vitakko.	thinking imbued with sensuality arose in me.
so evaṃ pajānāmi — ‘uppanno kho me ayaṃ kāma-vitakko.	I discerned that ‘Thinking imbued with sensuality has arisen in me;
so ca kho attabyābādhāyapi saṃvattati,	and that leads to my own affliction
parabyābādhāyapi saṃvattati,	or to the affliction of others
ubhayabyābādhāyapi saṃvattati,	or to the affliction of both.
paññā-nirodhiko	It obstructs discernment,
vighātapakkhiko	promotes vexation,
a-nibbāna-saṃvattaniko’ .	& does not lead to unbinding.’

The key things to notice in the above paragraph is that only “thinking and pondering and evaluation” could lead to the insight that could differentiate kusala from a-kusala, and observe the karmic consequences, and reach insight to affect positive behavioral transformation. Vitakka and vicara as “applied and sustained thought” would just be samatha kung fu devoid of wisdom unable to do the above. Also note the role of “pajānati” in insight here working with vitakka and vicāra.

MN 19 parallel Nian jing 念經 (MĀ 102 at T26. 589a)

Is consistent with MN 19 with skillful vitakka corresponding to right intention.
Nian jing 念經 (MĀ 102 at T26. 589a) and the MN 19 Dvedhāvitakka Sutta of the Majjhima Nikāya: skillful vitakka are renunciation, non-ill will, and non-cruelty/harmlessness; and so vitakka in jhāna is very likely the maintenance of these and/or similar attitudes and the active abandonment of their opposites

MN 20 using 5 nimittas of samadhi to get into 2nd jhana

This is one of the best suttas that clearly show the difference beween V&V-OR and V&V-SKF.

The first thing to keep in mind that this is a follow up to MN 19, which showed the role of samma sankappa and vitakka in preventing first jhāna, but did not provide details, other than too much thinking right thoughts/intentions would tire out the body and prevent entry into first jhāna. MN 20 picks up from there, and details 5 useful methods to eliminate vitakka, and enter into 2nd jhāna.

MN 36 Buddha as a boy stumbles into first jhāna

	(b.bodhi trans.)
Siyā nu kho añño maggo bodhāyā’ti?	Could there be another path to enlightenment?’
Tassa mayhaṃ, aggivessana, etadahosi:	“I considered:
‘abhijānāmi kho panāhaṃ pitu sakkassa kammante sītāya jambucchāyāya nisinno vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ vivekajaṃ pītisukhaṃ paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharitā.	‘I recall that when my father the Sakyan was occupied, while I was sitting in the cool shade of a rose-apple tree, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I entered upon and abided in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion.
Siyā nu kho eso maggo bodhāyā’ti?	Could that be the path to enlightenment?’
Tassa mayhaṃ, aggivessana, satānusāri viññāṇaṃ ahosi:	Then, following on that memory, came the realisation:
‘eseva maggo bodhāyā’ti.	‘That is indeed the path to enlightenment.’
Tassa mayhaṃ, aggivessana, etadahosi:	“I thought:
‘kiṃ nu kho ahaṃ tassa sukhassa bhāyāmi, yaṃ taṃ sukhaṃ aññatreva kāmehi aññatra akusalehi dhammehī’ti?	‘Why am I afraid of that pleasure that has nothing to do with sensual pleasures and unwholesome states?’
Tassa mayhaṃ, aggivessana, etadahosi:	I thought:
‘na kho ahaṃ tassa sukhassa bhāyāmi, yaṃ taṃ sukhaṃ aññatreva kāmehi aññatra akusalehi dhammehī’ti.	‘I am not afraid of that pleasure since it has nothing to do with sensual pleasures and unwholesome states.’

The key with first jhāna is turning away from pleasures based on 5 cords of sense pleasure and instead enjoying the blameless pleasure of right intention, right view. V&V-SKF is a pretty specific meditation technique, it would be strange not to mention anything about it if that was what the Buddha was practicing.

MN 44 “applied thought and sustained thought doesn’t make sense here

	(b.bodhi trans.)
katamo panāyye, kāyasaṅkhāro, katamo vacīsaṅkhāro, katamo cittasaṅkhāro”ti?	“But, lady, what is the bodily formation? What is the verbal formation? What is the mental formation?”
“assāsapassāsā kho, āvuso visākha, kāyasaṅkhāro, vitakkavicārā vacīsaṅkhāro, saññā ca vedanā ca cittasaṅkhāro”ti.	“In-breathing and out-breathing, friend Visākha, are the bodily formation; applied thought and sustained thought are the verbal formation; perception and feeling are the mental formation.”465 ""
“kasmā panāyye, assāsapassāsā kāyasaṅkhāro, kasmā vitakkavicārā vacīsaṅkhāro, kasmā saññā ca vedanā ca cittasaṅkhāro”ti?	15.“But, lady, why are in-breathing and out-breathing the bodily formation? Why are applied thought and sustained thought the verbal formation? Why are perception and feeling the mental formation?”
“assāsapassāsā kho, āvuso visākha, kāyikā ete dhammā kāyappaṭibaddhā, tasmā assāsapassāsā kāyasaṅkhāro. pubbe kho, āvuso visākha, vitakketvā vicāretvā pacchā vācaṃ bhindati, tasmā vitakkavicārā vacīsaṅkhāro. saññā ca vedanā ca cetasikā ete dhammā cittappaṭibaddhā, tasmā saññā ca vedanā ca cittasaṅkhāro”ti.	“Friend Visākha, in-breathing and out-breathing are bodily, these are states bound up with the body; that is why in-breathing and out-breathing are the bodily formation. First one applies thought and sustains thought, and subsequently one breaks out into speech; that is why applied thought and sustained thought are the verbal formation. Perception and feeling are mental, these are states bound up with the mind; that is why perception and feeling are the mental formation.”466

Before you open your mouth to speak to “break out into speech”, do you first "think and ponder"? Or do you close your eyes, “apply a thought to” a white light nimitta and suddenly words spontaneously pop out of your mouth? Note that B. Bodhi commented that in translating MN, he tried to stick with Theravada commentary tradition’s interpretation, whereas his later translations, he changed over to the sensible “thinking nad pondering” for vitakka and vicāra in the first jhāna formula.

MN 78 kusala sankappa (and thoughts) don’t cease until 2nd jhāna

	(than. Trans.)
♦ 266. “katame ca, thapati, akusalā saṅkappā? kāmasaṅkappo, byāpādasaṅkappo, vihiṃsāsaṅkappo — ime vuccanti, thapati, akusalā saṅkappā.	"And what are unskillful resolves? Being resolved on sensuality, on ill will, on harmfulness. These are called unskillful resolves.
♦ “ime ca, thapati, akusalā saṅkappā kiṃsamuṭṭhānā? samuṭṭhānampi nesaṃ vuttaṃ. ‘saññāsamuṭṭhānā’tissa vacanīyaṃ. katamā saññā? saññāpi hi bahū anekavidhā nānappakārakā. kāmasaññā, byāpādasaññā, vihiṃsāsaññā — itosamuṭṭhānā akusalā saṅkappā.	What is the cause of unskillful resolves? Their cause, too, has been stated, and they are said to be perception-caused. Which perception? — for perception has many modes & permutations. Any sensuality-perception, ill will-perception or harmfulness-perception: That is the cause of unskillful resolves.
♦ “ime ca, thapati, akusalā saṅkappā kuhiṃ aparisesā nirujjhanti? nirodhopi nesaṃ vutto. idha, thapati, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi ... pe ... paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati; etthete akusalā saṅkappā aparisesā nirujjhanti.	Now where do unskillful resolves cease without trace? Their cessation, too, has been stated: There is the case where a monk, quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. This is where unskillful resolves cease without trace.
♦ “kathaṃ paṭipanno ca, thapati, akusalānaṃ saṅkappānaṃ nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti? idha, thapati, bhikkhu anuppannānaṃ pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ anuppādāya chandaṃ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṃ ārabhati cittaṃ paggaṇhāti padahati; uppannānaṃ pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pahānāya ... pe ... anuppannānaṃ kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ uppādāya ... pe ... uppannānaṃ kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṃ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṃ ārabhati cittaṃ paggaṇhāti padahati. evaṃ paṭipanno kho, thapati, akusalānaṃ saṅkappānaṃ nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti.	And what sort of practice is the practice leading to the cessation of unskillful resolves? There is the case where a monk generates desire...for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen...for the sake of the abandoning of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen...for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen...(and) for the...development & culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen. This sort of practice is the practice leading to the cessation of unskillful resolves.
♦ 267. “katame ca, thapati, kusalā saṅkappā? nekkhammasaṅkappo, abyāpādasaṅkappo, avihiṃsāsaṅkappo — ime vuccanti, thapati, kusalā saṅkappā.	"And what are skillful resolves? Being resolved on renunciation (freedom from sensuality), on non-ill will, on harmlessness. These are called skillful resolves.
♦ “ime ca, thapati, kusalā saṅkappā kiṃsamuṭṭhānā? samuṭṭhānampi nesaṃ vuttaṃ. ‘saññāsamuṭṭhānā’tissa vacanīyaṃ. katamā saññā? saññāpi hi bahū anekavidhā nānappakārakā. nekkhammasaññā, abyāpādasaññā, avihiṃsāsaññā — itosamuṭṭhānā kusalā saṅkappā.	What is the cause of skillful resolves? Their cause, too, has been stated, and they are said to be perception-caused. Which perception? — for perception has many modes & permutations. Any renunciation-perception, non-ill will-perception or harmlessness-perception: That is the cause of skillful resolves.
♦ “ime ca, thapati, kusalā saṅkappā kuhiṃ aparisesā nirujjhanti? nirodhopi nesaṃ vutto. idha, thapati, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṃ vūpasamā ... pe ... dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati; etthete kusalā saṅkappā aparisesā nirujjhanti.	Now where do skillful resolves cease without trace? Their cessation, too, has been stated: There is the case where a monk, with the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. This is where skillful resolves cease without trace.

If skillful resolves (and thoughts) don’t cease until 2nd jhāna, then they’re obviously still active in the 1st jhāna

♦ “kathaṃ paṭipanno ca, thapati, kusalānaṃ saṅkappānaṃ nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti? idha, thapati, bhikkhu anuppannānaṃ pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ anuppādāya chandaṃ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṃ ārabhati cittaṃ paggaṇhāti padahati; uppannānaṃ pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pahānāya ... pe ... anuppannānaṃ kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ uppādāya ... pe ... uppannānaṃ kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṃ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṃ ārabhati cittaṃ paggaṇhāti padahati. evaṃ paṭipanno kho, thapati, kusalānaṃ saṅkappānaṃ nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti.

And what sort of practice is the practice leading to the cessation of skillful resolves? There is the case where a monk generates desire...for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen...for the sake of the abandoning of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen...for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen...(and) for the... development & culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen. This sort of practice is the practice leading to the cessation of skillful resolves.

In MN 78, the smoking gun is here:
(akusalā saṅkappā cease in first jhana)
(right effort does the work of removing kusalā saṅkappā within, and prior to first jhana)
(3 kusalā saṅkappā are same as 3 aspects of Right Resolve)
(kusalā saṅkappā depend on the 3 kusala perceptions)
(kusalā saṅkappā cease in 2nd jhana)

saṅkappā, is often equivalent to vitakka/thinking, and B.Sujato translates it as “thinking” in this context. If skillful thinking doesn’t cease until 2nd jhana, that means skillful thinking is still at large and active in first jhana. Which means B.Sujatos’s translation of V&V as “placing the mind and keeping it connected” for V&V in first and second jhana are incoherent here.

The chinese Agama parallel agrees on this point (that B. Sujato’s translation of V&V doesn’t work), and there are further interesting differences we will explore later.

MN 117 samma saṅkappo = vitakka

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo ariyo anāsavo lokuttaro maggaṅgo?	And what is right resolve that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path?
Yo kho, bhikkhave,	monks, for one of
ariya-cittassa	noble mind
an-āsava-cittassa	and undefiled mind,
ariya-magga-sam-aṅgino	who possesses the noble path
ariya-maggaṃ bhāvayato	and develops the noble path.

[right resolve is] (⤴)

takko	thinking,
vi-takko	Directed-thinking,
saṅkappo	resolve,
appanā	applying,
By-appanā	strong-applying,
cetaso abhiniropanā	mind being implanted, [inculcate, apply, fixed]
Vacī-saṅ-khāro—	verbal-co-doings

MN 117 an-aasava sankappo, almost exactly same as Te Ab first jhana gloss V&V, except for vaci-sankharo not there. This sutta considered in conjunction with MN 78, which explicitly says kusala sankappa doesn’t cease until 2nd jhana, means kusala sankappa, i.e. the samma sankappa of MN 117 right here is ACTIVE in first jhana. Takko especially, is even more discursive and brain energy intensive than vitakka.

MN 125 first jhana skipped after 4sp

(b.bodhi trans.)

(also see SN ^22.80 where 4sp can be first jhana)

seyyathāpi, aggivessana, hatthidamako mahantaṃ thambhaṃ pathaviyaṃ nikhaṇitvā āraññakassa nāgassa gīvāyaṃ upanibandhati āraññakānañceva sīlānaṃ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva sarasaṅkappānaṃ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva darathakilamathapariḷāhānaṃ abhinimmadanāya gāmante abhiramāpanāya manussakantesu sīlesu samādapanāya; evameva kho, aggivessana, ariyasāvakassa ime cattāro satipaṭṭhānā cetaso upanibandhanā honti gehasitānañceva sīlānaṃ abhinimmadanāya gehasitānañceva sarasaṅkappānaṃ abhinimmadanāya gehasitānañceva darathakilamathapariḷāhānaṃ abhinimmadanāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya.	“Just as, Aggivessana, the elephant tamer plants a large post in the earth and binds the forest elephant to it by the neck in order to subdue his forest habits…and to inculcate in him habits congenial to human beings, so these four foundations of mindfulness are the bindings for the mind of the noble disciple in order to subdue his habits based on the household life, to subdue his memories and intentions based on the household life, to subdue his distress, fatigue, and fever based on the household life, and in order that he may attain the true way and realise Nibbāna.
♦ 220. “tamenaṃ tathāgato uttariṃ vineti — ‘ehi tvaṃ, bhikkhu, kāye kāyānupassī viharāhi, mā ca kām-ūpasaṃhitaṃ vitakkaṃ vitakkesi. vedanāsu... citte... dhammesu dhammānupassī viharāhi, mā ca kāmūpasaṃhitaṃ vitakkaṃ vitakkesī’”ti.	24.“Then the Tathāgata disciplines him further: ‘Come, bhikkhu, abide contemplating the body as a body, but do not think thoughts of sensual desire. Abide contemplating feelings as feelings…mind as mind…mind-objects as mind-objects, but do not think thoughts of sensual desire.’1177 ""
♦ “so vitakka-vicārānaṃ vūpasamā ajjhattaṃ sampasādanaṃ cetaso ekodibhāvaṃ avitakkaṃ avicāraṃ samādhijaṃ pītisukhaṃ dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ ... pe ... tatiyaṃ jhānaṃ... catutthaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati. so evaṃ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇāya cittaṃ abhininnāmeti. so anekavihitaṃ pubbenivāsaṃ anussarati, seyyathidaṃ — ekampi jātiṃ dvepi jātiyo ... pe ... iti sākāraṃ sauddesaṃ anekavihitaṃ pubbenivāsaṃ anussarati.	25.“With the stilling of applied and sustained thought, he enters upon and abides in the second jhāna…the third jhāna…the fourth jhāna.

You can see “applied and sustained thought” doesn’t work here, it’s definitely thinking and evaluation that is connected with household resolves, etc. And the fact that it skips right to second jhāna shows those same V&V thoughts are active in first jhāna. Also note there’s no sharp boundary between 4sp satipatthana practice and jhānas. They interpenetrate each other.

SN samyutta V&V

SN 1.17 V&V, sankappa calmed like turtle drawing in, to nirvana, JST

SN ^1.17

Katihaṃ careyya sāmaññaṃ,	“How many days can one practise the ascetic life
cittañce na nivāraye;	If one does not rein in one’s mind?
Pade pade visīdeyya,	One would founder with each step
saṅkappānaṃ vasānugoti.	Under the control of one’s intentions.
Kummova aṅgāni sake kapāle,	As a tortoise draws its limbs into its shell,
Samodahaṃ bhikkhu mano-vitakke;	“Drawing in the mind’s-thoughts
Anissito aññamaheṭhayāno,	Independent, doing harm to none,
Pari-nibbuto nūpavadeyya kañcī”ti.	Fully-quenched, A bhikkhu would not dispute with anyone.”

SN 1.64 use V&V to penetrate nandi/craving, to nirvana, JST

SN ^1.64

“Nandī-saṃyojano loko,	“The world is tightly fettered by delight;
vitakkassa vicāraṇaṃ;	Thought is its means of investigating
Taṇhāya vip-pahānena,	Craving is what one must forsake
nibbānaṃ iti vuccatī”ti.	In order to say, ‘Nibbāna.’”

SN 21.1 noble silence is 2nd jhana

SN ^21.1
This is a very short sutta that gives the definition of noble silence as second jhana.
This is a great case study because it shows most of the fatal logical flaws when V&V in first and second jhana is translated in a way that follows VRJ (vism. redefinition of jhana), rather than vitakka & vicara as “thinking & pondering”, which is what it means everywhere in the EBT. Early Theravada paracanonical works, even early Abhidhamma agrees with this.

B. Sujato translates V&V (vitakka & vicara) as “placing the mind & keeping it connected”.
B. Thanissaro translates V&V as “directed-thought & evaluation”

1. this thought (pari-vitakka) occurred to me: “what is second jhana?”

Right after this statement, Moggallana gives the standard second jhana formula, where the removal of V&V happens. If you read B. Thanissaro’s version, the logic is simple, the reading coherent. If you read B. Sujato’s translation, you’ll notice vitakka suddenly changes meaning two sentences later with no explanation. Where he translates the vitakka of asking “what is second jhana” as “thought”, in the second jhana formula, V&V suddenly means something completely different, “placing the mind”. What is the newly ordained Bhikkhu (during the Buddha’s lifetime) supposed to think when he hears vitakka have two completely different meanings in sentences adjacent to each other? He must feel like he’s in an insane asylum. Either:

a. You have to translate V&V consistently here.
b. show where in the EBT it defines V&V differently for jhana (hint: it doesn’t exist, which is why Vism. has to invent a type of samadhi called access concentration).

2. If B. Sujato is correct that V&V means “placing the mind & keeping it connected” in the 4 jhanas, then why isn’t first jhana noble silence?

(sound of crickets chirping)
3. imperfect second jhana with intrusion of V&V

(b.thanissaro: coherent)
tassa mayhaṃ, āvuso, iminā vihārena viharato
While I remained in that [mental] dwelling,
vitakkasahagatā saññā manasikārā samudācaranti”.
I was assailed by perceptions & [acts of] attention connected with directed thought.

(b.sujato: incoherent)
While I was in that meditation, perceptions and attentions accompanied by placing the mind beset me.

As pointed out in other essays in the YARVVI chronicles 2, there is a logical problem here. B. Sujato’s vitakka of “placing the mind” operates on the same hierarchical level as sañña (perceptions), manasi karoti (paying attention), low level operations that survive past first jhana and thrive in all four jhanas. So in this sentence, where the second jhana is being intruded by vitakka, B. Sujato’s translation is illogical. Like a snake trying to swallow itself by eating its own tail. Like an infinite recursion that blows up the computer. Doesn’t work. The justification that B. Sujato provided is that the Buddha had an impoverished vocabulary for the four jhanas, and he had no choice but to make a completely confusing redefinition of V&V just for the four jhanas. As critics have pointed out, this is not so. There are terms such as samadhi nimitta, there is manasi karoti (paying attention to perceptions/sañña or nimittas), there is directed and undirected samadhi, perfectly adequate vocabulary for expressing the type of VRJ (vism. redefinition of jhana) that B. Sujato is trying to accomplish by hijacking V&V. Provided that the Buddha had wanted to define the 4 jhanas as VRJ does. We have to assume the Buddha did not have that intention, given the lack of explanation in the EBT, early Theravada commentarial scriptures, and even early Abhidhamma.
4. Vācā = vocalization, i.e. words spoken out loud, ceases in first jhana

from SN ^36.11
(9 gradual nirodho/cessations)

atha kho pana, bhikkhu, mayā
“And I have also {taught}
anu-pubba-saṅkhārānaṃ nirodho akkhāto.
step-by-step-fabrications' cessation.

1. paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ samāpannassa
1. (with) first jhāna attained,
vācā niruddhā hoti.
vocalization-of-speech has ceased.
2. dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ samāpannassa
2. (with) second jhāna attained,
vitakka-vicārā niruddhā honti.
directed-thought-&-evaluation has ceased.
3. tatiyaṃ jhānaṃ samāpannassa
3. (with) third jhāna attained,
pīti niruddhā hoti.
rapture has ceased.

second jhana, V&V , vocalization fabrications cease (MN 44, thoughts you think before you say them)
first jhana, vocalization ceases.
second jhana = noble silence
first jhana = vocal silence

In a thread earlier this year debating this point, another user supporting B. Sujato’s translation of vitakka as “placing the mind” had to redefine what vāca (vocalization) means in SN 36.11! He had to recast vāca as un-vocalized speech, i.e. “thinking & evaluation”. So there was a domino effect where the mistranslation of a basic simple word "vitakka" made the rest of the thought world incoherent.

This is further evidence of how much damage and confusion can be caused when we don’t translate important basic terms consistently.

SN 22.80 three akusala thoughts and animitta samadhi

SN ^22.80, 4sp first jhana situation like MN ¹²⁵
https://notesonthedhamma.blogspot.com/2019/03/sn-228-three-akusala-thoughts-and.html
three akusala vitakka thoughts cease in "well established" 4sp🐘, which in comparison to MN 78, could refer to a samadhi of quality less than first jhana. But it can also mean first jhana, suchas in MN 125, since sati of 4sp is the same sati-sambojjhanga that exercises vitakka in SN 46.3.

SN 36.11 nine gradual sankhara cessations, speech ceases in 1st jhana, V&V in second

SN ^36.11

SN 41.8 Jain founder doesn’t believe 2nd jhana is possible

SN ^41.8, 🔗SN 41.8 detailed analysis
Specifically, he doesn’t believe samadhi without V&V is possible.
He obviously means the oral tradition standard meaning of V&V, thinking.
Otherwise you need Ajahn Brahm and time machine to go back and explain the redefined V&V to him.
The important implication here, is he does believe first jhana (samadhi with vitakka) is possible for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike.

SN 47.10 directed (with V&V) and undirected bhavana (2nd jhana and up)

see SN ^47.10 for sutta and commentary.
note that the “nimittas” of samadhi referred to in this sutta can only mean the same “nimittas” used in MN 20, which are V&V-OR, not SKF.

Vin Vinaya

pli-tv-kd8 recalling generosity to 7sb, like AN 6.10

https://suttacentral.net/pli-tv-kd8/en/horner-brahmali

Now, Lord, monks who have passed the rains in (various) places will come to Sāvatthī so as to see the Lord; having approached the Lord, they will ask: ‘Lord, such and such a monk has passed away; what is his bourn, what his future state?’ The Lord will explain this saying: ‘It is in the fruit of stream-attaining or it is in the fruit of once-returning or it is in the fruit of not-returning or it is in the fruit of perfection.’ I, having approached these, will ask: ‘Honoured sirs, was Sāvatthī previously visited by this master?’

“If they say to me: ‘Sāvatthī was previously visited by this monk,’ I shall come to the conclusion that undoubtedly cloths for the rains or food for those coming in or food for those going out or food for the sick or food for those who tend the sick or medicines for the sick or a constant supply of conjey was enjoyed by this master. On my calling that to mind, delight will be born; from delight, joy will be born; because my mind is joyful my body will be calm; with the body calm I will experience ease; because I am at ease my mind will be contemplative; this will be for me growth as to the sense-organs, growth as to the powers, growth as to the factors of enlightenment. I, Lord, having this advantage in mind, am asking the Truth-finder for the eight boons.”

From Ven. Analayo’s footnotes in MA studies.
40 [49] A complementary case occurs in MN 19 at MN I 117,6 and its parallel MĀ
102 at T I 589c10, where the Chinese version omits the first absorption and
proceeds directly from overcoming wholesome thoughts to the second absorp
tion, whereas the Pāli version does take the first absorption into account.

SA 474 止息: ānanda thinks in jhāna, || SN 36.11

SA 474（四七四）止息	Saṃyukta Āgama 474 Subsiding
如是我聞：	Thus have I heard.
一時，佛住王舍城迦蘭陀	At one time, the Buddha was abiding in Rājagṛha in the Kalandaka
竹園。	Bamboo Garden.

(while in jhāna, thinking, then emerging)

爾時，尊者阿難獨一靜處	At that time, Venerable Ānanda was alone in a solitary place,
禪(jhāna) 思(contemplation)，念言：	contemplating in dhyāna, and thinking,

(3 types of vedana/feelings)

「世尊說	“The Bhagavān has spoken
三(three) 受(vedana)——	(of) three (types of) sensations:
樂受、	sensations of pleasure,
苦受、	sensations of pain,
不苦不樂受，	and sensations of neither pleasure nor pain.
又復說諸	Moreover,
所有受悉皆是苦，	all of these sensations are spoken of as suffering.
此有何義？」	What does this mean?”
作是念已，	After thinking this,
從禪起，	he arose from dhyāna
詣世尊所，稽首禮足，	and went to the place of the Bhagavān. Bowing at his feet,
退住一面，白佛言：	he stood to one side and addressed the Buddha,saying,
「世尊！我獨一靜處	“Bhagavān, I was alone at a solitary place,
禪思，念言：	in dhyāna thinking,
『如世尊說	“The Bhagavān has spoken of
三(three) 受(vedana)——	(of) three (types of) sensations:
樂受、	sensations of pleasure,
苦受、	sensations of pain,
不苦不樂受，	and sensations of neither pleasure nor pain.
又說一切諸	Moreover,
受悉皆是苦，	all of these sensations are spoken of as suffering.
此有何義？』」	What does this mean?”
佛告阿難：「我以一	The Buddha said to Ānanda, “The reason I say this
切行無常故，	is because they are all conditioned and impermanent.
一切行變易法故，	Because all are conditioned dharmas subject to change,
說諸所有受悉皆是苦。	these sensations are in each case spoken of as suffering.
又復，阿難！	Moreover, Ānanda,
我以諸行漸次寂	I say that because these conditions are gradually extinguished,
滅故說，以諸行漸次止息故說，一切諸受	because these conditions gradually subside,
悉皆是苦。」	that all sensations are entirely suffering.”
…	…

3 – 3 ways of Samādhi: Vitakka and Vicāra of 1st Jhāna fading out more gradually

see 4nt → 8aam #8 → Samma Samadhi → Samādhi in 3 ways: with V&V, without vicāra, etc. for a more detailed exploration of how V&V-SKF doesn’t make sense for that model.
The basic idea is this. Vitakka acts as the main subject of meditation, one of the 4sp. Vicara plays the role of dhamma-vicaya-sambojjhanga, or the 4ip factor of vimamsa-samadhi-padhana, which ponders & evaluates the qualities of the meditation subject chosen by vitakka. Then, you can see how between first and second jhana, there is a more gradual transition where the intermediate stage one is free of the hindrances enough that one can stay with the meditation subject easily, but would need a more coarse level of V&V to evaluate the meditation object, rather than using S&S, the nonverbal evaluation of the same meditation subject in 2nd jhana.

4 – Vācā = voice, vocal-speech, relationship to V&V

Vācā = voice, vocal-speech, vocal, vocalization, vocalized-speech, vocalized-words, vocalized-communication, vocalized-language.
* vocalization of words and speech, spoken out loud words and speech.
* notice the indo-latin connection, vaca = voice = vox = vocalized-words
* auditory communication, vocalized-words that can be heard.
* vibrating the vocal cords & flapping the lips to communicate intelligible sound, usually in the form of a language
* Vācā is vocalized-speech, spoken words, not written speech, not mental speech, not unvoiced words. In many important contexts such as right-speech (sammā vācā), that's an important distinction. Otherwise guarding the speech to prevent bad karmic consequences of wrong vocalized-speech would not be necessary.

PED: Vācā (f.) [vac, vakti & vivakti; cp. vacaḥ (P. vaco); Vedic vāk (vāc˚) voice, word, vākya; Av. vacah & vaxs word Gr. e)/pos word, o)/y voice, Lat. vox=voice, voco to call

Bodhi SN 41.6
First one thinks and examines, then afterwards one breaks into speech; that is why thought and examination are the verbal formation

Thanissaro MN 44
Having first directed one’s thoughts and made an evaluation, one then breaks out into speech.
That’s why directed thought & evaluation are verbal fabrications.

MN 44, SN 41.6 (Fabrications: bodily, voice, mind)

♦ 463. “kati panāyye, saṅkhārā”ti?	“Now, lady, what are-fabrications?”
♦ “tayo-’me, āvuso visākha, saṅkhārā —	“These three-fabrications, friend Visākha:
kāya-saṅkhāro, vacī-saṅkhāro, citta-saṅkhāro”ti.	bodily-fabrications, vocal-speech-fabrications, & mental-fabrications.”
♦ “katamo panāyye, kāya-saṅkhāro,	“But what are bodily-fabrications?
katamo vacī-saṅkhāro,	What are vocal-speech-fabrications?
katamo citta-saṅkhāro”ti?	What are mental-fabrications?”
♦ “assāsa-passāsā kho, āvuso visākha, kāya-saṅkhāro,	“In-&-out-breaths are bodily-fabrications.
vitakka-vicārā vacī-saṅkhāro,	Directed thought-&-evaluation are vocal-speech-fabrications.
saññā ca vedanā ca citta-saṅkhāro”ti.	Perceptions & feelings are mental-fabrications.”
♦ “kasmā panāyye, assāsapassāsā kāya-saṅkhāro,	“But why are in-&-out breaths bodily-fabrications?
kasmā vitakka-vicārā vacī-saṅkhāro,	Why are directed thought-&-evaluation vocal-speech-fabrications?
kasmā saññā ca vedanā ca citta-saṅkhāro”ti?	Why are perceptions & feelings mental-fabrications?”
♦ “assāsa-passāsā kho, āvuso visākha, kāyikā	“In-&-out breaths, ***, (are) bodily;
ete dhammā kāyap-paṭi-baddhā,	these dhamma-[things] (are) bound-up-with-the-body,
tasmā assāsa-passāsā kāya-saṅkhāro.	That’s why in-&-out breaths are bodily-fabrications.
pubbe kho, āvuso visākha,	prior to [vocalizing speech], friend Visakha,
vitakketvā vicāretvā	(one) directs-thoughts (and) evaluates [those very thoughts],
pacchā vācaṃ bhindati,	afterwards, vocal-speech breaks-out,
tasmā vitakka-vicārā vacī-saṅkhāro.	Therefore directed-thought-&-evaluation are vocal-speech-fabrications.
saññā ca vedanā ca cetasikā	Perceptions & feelings are mental;
ete dhammā cittap-paṭi-baddhā,	these dhamma-[things] (are) bound-up-with-the-mind.
tasmā saññā ca vedanā ca citta-saṅkhāro”ti.	Therefore perceptions & feelings (are) mental-fabrications.”

5 – Noble Silence and speech ceasing in first jhāna

See article on "second jhāna" for detailed pali sutta passage audit.

STED ariyo vā tuṇhī-bhāvo

SN 21.1 (V&V could not be visual nimitta here, clearly thinking and evaluation)

♦ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno etadavoca —	Ven. Mahā Moggallāna said,
“idha mayhaṃ, āvuso, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa	"Friends, once as I was withdrawn in seclusion,
evaṃ cetaso parivitakko udapādi —	this train of thought arose to my awareness,
‘ariyo tuṇhībhāvo, ariyo tuṇhībhāvoti vuccati.	'"Noble silence, noble silence," it is said.
katamo nu kho ariyo tuṇhībhāvo’ti?	But what is noble silence?'
tassa mayhaṃ āvuso, etadahosi —	Then the thought occurred to me,

(STED second jhāna = noble silence)

‘idha bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṃ vūpasamā	'There is the case where a monk, with the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations,
ajjhattaṃ sampasādanaṃ	[1] enters & remains in the second jhāna:
cetaso ekodibhāvaṃ	rapture & pleasure born of concentration,
avitakkaṃ avicāraṃ	unification of awareness
samādhijaṃ pītisukhaṃ	free from directed thought & evaluation —
dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati.	internal assurance.
ayaṃ vuccati ariyo tuṇhībhāvo’ti.	This is called noble silence.'

incontrovertible proof V&V = thinking and evaluation

In VRJ (vism. redefinition of jhana) first jhāna,
you can't feel the pain of mosquito bites,
you can't hear mosquitoes buzzing,
you can't open your mouth to say, "I wish that mosquito could go away."
You can't think, "I wish that mosquito would go away."
So why didn't the Buddha call first jhāna noble silence then? Why is the entry bar at 2nd jhāna?

This is more incontrovertible proof that V&V (vitakka & vicara) must mean thinking and evaluation/pondering/consideration, not "initial mind thought of a bright visual nimitta and sustained mind glued to the nimitta"
In first EBT jhāna, it's possible for the thought to arise, "I wish that mosquito could go away." (that thought not connected with dhamma and your samadhi nimitta of 4sp would knock you out of first jhana).
It's also possible to have the thought, "may that mosquito be well and happy." This thought being right intention, right view, connected with dhamma, is perfectly legal and expected to happen in first jhāna V&V.
But you can't open your mouth and say, "go away mosquito." (SN 36.11), since the energetic shift to flap your vocal cords would disturb the consolidated internal energy pervasion that characterizes the piti sukha of first jhāna.

This is why it's not noble silence until second jhāna.
And this is why V&V are vaci-sankhara speech fabrications (MN 44). The thoughts of what you're thinking about saying before you actually say it.

V&V of VRJ is just perceptions and attention to luminosity, nothing to do with noble silence of not speaking and not thinking thoughts that you might speak.

This is also further evidence for walking while in jhāna. If monks are told that they should either only be talking about dhamma or in noble silence, in most of those scenarios, they're not sitting with their eyes closed. They're standing or walking around with eyes open.

Speech ceasing in first jhāna

See article on "First jhāna" for detailed pali sutta passage audit.
Similar to the reasoning with jhāna qualified as "noble silence" only from 2nd jhana on up, speech in first jhāna ceasing would not even be necessary for the Buddha to say, if VRJ (vism. redefinition of jhāna) were correct, since in VRJ, body is gone, thought (as a speech fabrication) is not even possible. Again, this is incontrovertible proof that V&V must mean thinking and evaluation.

From SN 36.11 Rahogata: Alone: 3 fold vedana scheme. Connected to dukkha and saṅkhārā, then 9 progressive cessations in samādhi attainments similar to the 30 suttas in AN 9.30-9.60, with the very interesting and unique feature of first jhāna with speech (vāca) ceasing. Note this feature of first jhāna then gets repeated in this Vagga 4 more times in SN 36.15-18

AN 5.26 gives a very clear example of how the oral tradition seamlessly integrates into samādhi development, from first to fourth jhāna all the way to arahantship. While the words “first jhāna” do not explicitly appear, the activity of V&V (vitakka and vicara), S&S (sati and sampajano), presence of pīti, sukha, upekkha, make it pretty clear that’s what is happening.

Also note how sound does not have to be a thorn in first jhāna. Here, for example, sitting in the live presence of the Buddha or an arahant giving a dhamma talk is not only the direct cause of pīti and pamojja that’s generated, but can happen concurrently while one is in first jhāna, according to a straightforward okham’s razor reading of EBT.

6 – V&V💭 &U🛆👁

Almost all suttas cited in this section have a jhana samadhi context. See blogpost for pali audit, or 4nt → 7sb → upekkha → V&V&U section

VVU together: anu-vitakka, anu-vicara, anu-upekkha

https://notesonthedhamma.blogspot.com/2019/03/v-anu-vitakka-anu-vicara-anu-upekkha.html
jhana factors that do vipassana
Here are all the suttas that mentions these 3 factors together V&V💭 and 🛆👁 Upekkha

vimuttāyatanasuttaṃ (AN 5.26)
paṭhamadhammavihārīsuttaṃ (AN 5.73)
dutiyadhammavihārīsuttaṃ (AN 5.74)
dutiyasaddhammasammosasuttaṃ (AN 5.155)
ānandasuttaṃ (AN 6.51), para. 4
phaggunasuttaṃ (AN 6.56), para. 14 ⇒
pacalāyamānasuttaṃ (AN 7.61), para. 3 ⇒
DN 33
DN 34

7 – Vitakka = saṅkappa?

MN 78 three types of wrong saṅkappa named exactly as corresponding wrong vitakka

directed thought (vitakka) is closely related to resolve (saṅkappa). MN 78 tells us that unskillful resolves cease in the first jhāna and that skillful resolves (kusalā saṅkappā) are the resolve of renunciation (nekkhamma- saṅkappa), the resolve of non-aversion (abyāpādasaṅkappa), and the resolve of harmlessness (avihiṃsāsaṅkappa) make up the first jhāna:

That those 3 types of samma saṅkappa drop out in 2nd jhāna, that corresponds to the STED 2nd jhāna formula where V&V drop out. So that suggests Vitakka = saṅkappa, at least in 1st and 2nd jhāna context, and that V&V-OR thinking and directed attention is the norm, while V&V-SKF one pointed attention glued to meditation object with no thinking is at best a marginal subset of V&V-OR.

passages showing right vitakka contrast with wrong sankappa/vitakka

this happens frequently in EBT, here are a sampling of some.

AN 6.109

AN 6.109 Vitakka: 3 vitakka to remove (pahāna): kāma, b byāpāda, vihiṃsā. 3 counterparts to develop (bhāvetabbā): abyāpāda, vihiṃsā, avihiṃsā.

MN 19 (see passage quoted earlier)

8 – Late EBT and Non-EBT perspectives

KN Pe, para canonical Theravada, gives a very straightforward and clear definition of V&V that accords perfectly with straightforward EBT passage interpretation. Even early abhidhamma, in the Vb passage below, is more terse but if you understand the “fixity” “appeti” as defined by KN Pe and apply it to the Ab Vb, it’s more or less compatible. Vimt. Continues with straightforward V&V in first jhana, but in later abhidhamma, in the Vism., you see V&V only resembles EBT, KN Pe, and even Te Ab Vb only while in “access concentration”. For first jhana, V&V is redefined into something very narrow, a mental fixity on a visual nimitta, totally deviating from early Theravada!

KN Pe: Peṭakopadesa 7.72, 1st jhāna commentary

KN-Pe is the earliest detailed word commentary on the standard jhāna formula: Peṭakopadesa 7.72
(first paragraph 72. talks about tīṇi akusala-mūlāni (3 unskillful roots) and 5niv (hindrances) removal.

♦ tattha a-lobhassa pāripūriyā nekkhamma-vitakkaṃ vitakketi.	Here, for non-greed fulfillment, renunciation-thoughts (he) thinks.
tattha a-dosassa pāripūriyā abyāpāda-vitakkaṃ vitakketi.	for non-hatred fulfillment, renunciation-thoughts (he) thinks.
tattha a-mohassa pāripūriyā avihiṃsā-vitakkaṃ vitakketi.	for non-delusion fulfillment, renunciation-thoughts (he) thinks.
tattha a-lobhassa pāripūriyā vivitto hoti kāmehi.	“Here, for fulfilling non-passion he is secluded from sensual pleasures.
tattha a-dosassa pāripūriyā	Here, for fulfilling non-aggression and
a-mohassa pāripūriyā ca vivitto hoti pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehi,	fulfilling non-delusion he is secluded from unskillful phenomena.
savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ vivekajaṃ pītisukhaṃ	And so he enters and remains in the first jhāna,
paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati.	which includes directed thought and evaluation, as well as joy and pleasure born of seclusion.
♦ vitakkāti tayo vitakkā —	Directed thought: There are three kinds of directed thought, namely
nekkhammavitakko	the thought of renunciation,
abyāpādavitakko	the thought of non-aversion,
avihiṃsāvitakko.	and the thought of harmlessness.
tattha paṭham-ābhinipāto vitakko,	Here, directed thought is the first instance
paṭiladdhassa vicaraṇaṃ vicāro.	while evaluation is the evaluation of what is thereby received.

V&V simile: vitakka sees person, vicara scrutinizes their sila

yathā puriso dūrato purisaṃ passati āgacchantaṃ,	Just as when a man sees someone approaching in the distance
na ca tāva jānāti eso itthīti vā purisoti vā	he does not yet know whether it is a woman or a man,
yadā tu paṭilabhati itthīti vā purisoti vā	but when he has received [the apperception] that “it is a woman” or “it is a man” or
evaṃ vaṇṇoti vā evaṃ saṇṭhānoti vā	that “it is of such color” or that “it is one of such shape,”
ime vitakkayanto uttari upaparikkhanti	then when he has thought this he further scrutinizes,
kiṃ nu kho ayaṃ sīlavā udāhu dussīlo	“How then, is he ethical or unethical,
aḍḍho vā duggatoti vā.	rich or poor?”
evaṃ vicāro	This is examination.
vitakke appeti,	With directed thought he fixes.
vicāro cariyati ca anuvattati ca.	With examination he moves about and turns over [what has been thought].”

Notes of interest:
V&V “fixes” and “turning over” have been reinterpreted in the Vsm.

V&V winged bird simile

yathā pakkhī	581. and just as a winged bird
pubbaṃ āyūhati	first accumulates [speed]
pacchā nāyūhati	and afterwards no more accumulates [speed, when gliding],
yathā āyūhanā evaṃ vitakko,	so too, thinking is like the accumulation [of speed],
yathā pakkhānaṃ pasāraṇaṃ evaṃ vicāro anupālati vitakketi vicarati vicāreti.	and like the out-strechedness of the [gliding bird's] wings is exploring,
vitakkayati vitakketi,	[which] keeps preserving the thinkings
anuvicarati vicāreti.	and keeps preserving the explorings.

V&V relationship to right/wrong resolves

kāma-saññāya paṭipakkho vitakko,	582. sensual-desire-perceptions (is the) opposite (of) directed-thoughts,
byāpāda-saññāya vihiṃsa-saññāya ca paṭipakkho vicāro.	ill-will-perceptions & cruelty-perceptions (is the) opposite of evaluation.
vitakkānaṃ kammaṃ a-kusalassa a-manasikāro,	(such) thinking (is an) action (whereby the) un-skillful (gets) no-attention.
vicārānaṃ kammaṃ jeṭṭhānaṃ saṃvāraṇā.	(such) evaluation (is an) action (whereby the) forerunners (gets) restrained.

simile of reciting is literally like vaci dropping out of first jhana, vaci-sankhara = v&v remains! SN 36.11

yathā paliko tuṇhiko sajjhāyaṃ karoti evaṃ vitakko,	583. just-as (a) reciter silently recites, such (is) directed-thoughts,
yathā taṃyeva anupassati evaṃ vicāro.	just-as that-recitation (he) contemplates, such (is) evaluation.

simile of vicara needs to finish the job vitakka started

yathā a-pariññā evaṃ vitakko.	just-like incomplete-understanding, such (is) directed-thoughts,
yathā pariññā evaṃ vicāro.	just-like complete-understanding, such (is) evaluation.

simile of vitakka more superficial, vicara explores/dives deep into meaning

nirutti-paṭisambhidāyañca paṭibhāna-paṭisambhidāyañca vitakko,	language-analysis & clarity-analysis (is) directed-thoughts,
dhamma-paṭisambhidāyañca attha-paṭisambhidāyañca vicāro.	idea-analysis & meaning-analysis (is) evaluation.

unclear simile

kallitā kosallattaṃ cittassa vitakko,	good-health; skill (of the) mind (regarding that), is directed-thoughts.
abhinīhāra-kosallaṃ cittassa vicāro.	Resolution-in-being-skillful; mind [in that mode], is evaluation.

simile, vitakka sets task, vicara finishes

idaṃ kusalaṃ idaṃ akusalaṃ	this (is) skillful, this (is) unskillful,
idaṃ bhāvetabbaṃ idaṃ pahātabbaṃ	this should-be-developed, this should-be-abandoned,
idaṃ sacchikātabbanti	this (is) to-be-verified,
vitakko,	[those are examples of] directed-thoughts,
yathā pahānañca bhāvanā ca	these-are abandoned, are developed,
sacchikiriyā ca	(these are) verified,
evaṃ vicāro.	evaluation [finishes the task set out by vitakka]

first jhana: what parts mental, physical

imesu vitakka-vicāresu ṭhitassa	584. these directed-thoughts-&-evaluations (being) steady,
duvidhaṃ dukkhaṃ na uppajjati kāyikañca cetasikañca;	two-fold suffering doesn't arise; bodily & mental;
duvidhaṃ sukhaṃ uppajjati kāyikañca cetasikañca.	two-fold pleasure arises; bodily & mental.
iti vitakka-janitaṃ	thus directed-thoughts-generates
cetasikaṃ sukhaṃ	mental pleasure,
pīti kāyikaṃ	rapture (in the) body,
sukhaṃ kāyikoyeva.	pleasure (in the) body.
yā tattha cittassa ekaggatā,	this here (is) mind's unification,
ayaṃ samādhi.	this is undistractable-lucidity.
iti paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ	Such is first jhāna,
pañc-aṅga-vippahīnaṃ	five-factors-abandoned,
pañc-aṅga-samannāgataṃ.	five-factors-possessed.

Abhdhamma Vibhanga 12, V&V in jhānas

first jhāna V&V, (J2 same def)

♦ 565. “savitakkaṃ savicāran”ti	“Accompanied by initial application, accompanied by sustained application” means:
atthi vitakko, atthi vicāro.	There is initial application; there is sustained application.
♦ tattha katamo vitakko?	Therein what is initial application?
yo takko vitakko saṅkappo	That which is mentation, thinking, thought,
appanā byappanā	fixation, focussing,
cetaso abhiniropanā sammāsaṅkappo —	application of the mind, right thought.
ayaṃ vuccati “vitakko”.	This is called initial application.
♦ tattha katamo vicāro?	Therein what is sustained application?
yo cāro vicāro anuvicāro upavicāro	That which is searching, examining, constant examining,
cittassa anusandhanatā anupekkhanatā —	scrutinizing, constant connection of (and) constant inspection by consciousness.
ayaṃ vuccati vicāro.	This is called sustained application.

Notes of interest:
1. sammāsaṅkappo, saṅkappo, seem to be on the same link of the food chain as vitakka, not below or above it.
2. this may be foreshadowing what upekkha does in 3rd and 4th jhana (cittassa anusandhanatā anupekkhanatā —)

V&V controversy

In EBT passages cited in this study, these two terms when you examine them in context clearly mean “thinking and evauation”, rather than “applied and sustained thought” as later period of Abhidhamma redfines it. While “applied and sustained thought” is serviceable in that it doesn’t produce contradictions or incoherency in the logic (for most passages), it doesn’t adequately convey the full dimension of vitakka and vicāra. Just like if we translate “talking about kings and politics” as “sound waves hitting the ear” it does not give the full dimension of meaning, let alone any practical use.

☸V&V-OR

In a straightforward, Ockham’s Razor reading of EBT, vitakka and vicara (V&V) have the ability to recognize the true nature of the meditation object, such as the dukkha in it, the impermanence of it, etc. Whereas the Vism. Model is just a samatha kung fu training exercise devoid of wisdom building potential on its own.

⛔V&V-SKF

In Vism. And late Abhidhamma, “applied and sustained thought” in the context of first jhāna means sitting in meditation, eyes closed, mind is ‘applied’ to a visual white image, and sticks to it continuously(“sustained thought”). This does not have wisdom and insight bearing potential on its own, so there are huge implications on how one goes about their meditative practice depending on their understanding of V&V.

Vism. Definition of V&V (concise)

(Visuddhi-magga definition of of vitakka and vicara)
“[As for] applied thought, hitting upon is what is meant. It has the characteristic of directing the mind onto an object. It is manifested as the leading of the mind onto an object. [As for] sustained thought, continued sustainment is what is meant. It has the characteristic of continued pressure on the object. It is manifested as keeping consciousness anchored on that object.”—the Vism, IV

⛔Vism. V&V in full

_{(b.nanamoli trans.) vism. definition of first jhāna STED formula gloss, under earth kasina. First jhāna of remaining 10 kasinas, 16 APS (anpanasait), and AFAIK any other means of entering first jhāna, all refer back to this earth kasina first jhāna passage)

ayaṃ tāva vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehīti ettha atthappakāsanā.

This, in the first place, is the explanation of the meaning of the words “quite secluded from sense desires, secluded from unprofitable things.”

♦ 71. ettāvatā ca paṭhamassa jhānassa pahānaṅgaṃ dassetvā

88.So far the factors abandoned by the jhāna have been shown.

idāni sampayogaṅgaṃ dassetuṃ sa-vitakkaṃ sa-vicārantiādi vuttaṃ.

And now, in order to show the factors associated with it, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought is said.

vitakka gloss

tattha vitakkanaṃ vitakko,

[142] Herein, applied thinking (vitakkana) is applied thought (vitakka);

ūhananti vuttaṃ hoti.

hitting upon, is what is meant.25

svāyaṃ ārammaṇe cittassa abhiniropanalakkhaṇo,

It has the characteristic of directing the mind on to an object (mounting the mind on its object).

āhananapariyāhananaraso.

Its function is to strike at and thresh—

tathā hi tena yogāvacaro ārammaṇaṃ vitakkāhataṃ vitakkapariyāhataṃ karotīti vuccati.

for the meditator is said, in virtue of it, to have the object struck at by applied thought, threshed by applied thought.

ārammaṇe cittassa ānayanapaccupaṭṭhāno.

It is manifested as the leading of the mind onto an object.

vicara gloss

♦ vicaraṇaṃ vicāro,

Sustained thinking (vicaraṇa) is sustained thought (vicāra);

anusañcaraṇanti vuttaṃ hoti.

continued sustainment (anusañcaraṇa), is what is meant.

svāyaṃ ārammaṇānumajjanalakkhaṇo,

It has the characteristic of continued pressure on (occupation with) the object.

tattha sahajātānuyojanaraso,

Its function is to keep conascent [mental] states [occupied] with that.

cittassa anuppabandhanapaccupaṭṭhāno.

It is manifested as keeping consciousness anchored [on that object].}

EBT Pāli

10 – Buddho, mantra vaci-sankhara

I found my “Buddho”, on singular hill

I use to think Ajahn Mun and his disciples teaching “Buddho” mantra was a very questionable practice, not in accordance with EBT. The “Buddho” method also bears some disturbing similarities to Pure Land Buddhism, if one becomes attached to a mantra without understanding what it’s used for and why. In the EBT at least, it turns out Ajahn Mun is justified. You can use a “Buddho” mantra as an entry into samadhi, following the 7sb formula.

AN 6.10 6 recollections (buddha, dhamma, sangha…) leads to samadhi and Dhamma stream entry
AN 11.11 adds 5 other items, but otherwise same 6 items as AN 6.10
AN 11.12 same as AN 11.11, with this interesting variation
SN 48.9 paṭhama-vibhaṅga-suttaṃ, under saddha/conviction

compare to transcendental meditation

https://notesonthedhamma.blogspot.com/2019/03/i-found-my-buddho-on-singular-hill.html

12 – Conclusion

There are already existing words that do what the redefined VRJ V&V does

SN 47.10 V&V, no V&V, directed and undirected samadhi, YARVVI

https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/sn-47-10-v-v-no-v-v-directed-and-undirected-samadhi-yarvvi/10394

Notice the directed (paṇidhāya) samadhi , and undirected (ap-paṇidhāya) samadhi are referring to role of V&V in first jhana, and it’s dropping out in second jhana.

SN 47.10 (CONCISE VER.) bhikkhun-upassaya-suttaṃ SN 47.10 bhikkhun-upassaya-suttaṃ SN 47.10 The Bhikkhunīs’-Quarter-discourse (nuns approach Ananda) atha kho āyasmā ānando pubbaṇhasamayaṃ Then *** Venerable Ānanda, in-the-morning, nivāsetvā patta-cīvaram-ādāya having-dressed, bowl-&-robe-taken, yena aññataro bhikkhun-upassayo tenupasaṅkami; then (a) certain nun's-quarter (he) approac…

So the Buddha already has many terms and ways to express “placing the mind & keeping it connected”.

There’s also “manasi karoti” (paying attention), used frequently in the context of samadhi bhavana. For example, to develop perception of light for knowledge and vision, one pays attention to the sañña (perception) of light, whether by day or night.

There’s also "cetaso abhiniropanā " , directing of mind, used as one of the definitions for sankappa in MN 117.

In Bhante Sujato’s blog post explaining his view on V&V (vitakka & vicara), he makes it seem like the Buddha just didn’t have any other suitable words to express “placing the mind & keeping it connected”, so he had to sacrifice V&V and give it a totally different meaning than is used everywhere else in the suttas. Why would the Buddha do that and create so much confusion? And if he’s going to give V&V a new meaning in first jhana, almost opposite to it’s original meaning (see next paragraph), shouldn’t he explain the new meaning somewhere in the suttas? Ven. Buddhaghosa doesn’t show up for another 1000 years, and Bhante Sujato isn’t born for at least another 2500 years from when the pali suttas were composed. They’re not walking through the door to explain to the puzzled pali listener what that “placing the mind and keeping it connected” means. So where in the suttas is it explained?

The “cara” in vicara, the basic meaning of carati is roaming about, walking, exploring, wandering around, traveling. Cankamena is walking meditation. Vicara is the mental equivalent of that, exploring a topic selected by vitakka (directed thought). But in VRJ (vism. redefined jhana) and B. Sujato’s V&V translation, vicara takes on the opposite meaning! Instead of exploring and evaluating, it’s sticking like glue trying to not move and become completely still!

So why would the Buddha give vicara the opposite meaning in first jhana, and then not even bother to explain that the change happened (remember, the pali listener hears V&V, the same V&V he hears everywhere else, not the retranslated version), and nowhere in the suttas that actually explains the redefined meaning in detail.

Of all the many reasons the VRJ definition of V&V is wrong, this is probably the first, and most fundamental reason, why that is completely unsupportable. That Vism. insists on this, is understandable, since they’re trying to reinterpret the EBT to claim compatibility (non contradiction) with their idea of momentariness. But why B. Sujato, who champions principle of least meaning and ockhams razor as his guiding principle in translation? It baffles the mind.

14 – Miscellaneous

https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/yarvvi-chronicles-v-v-vitakka-directed-thoughts-vicara-evaluation-of-said-vitakka/10182

Perturbability of first jhāna

MN 66 1st three jhānas perturbable, and what they are

♦ “idhudāyi, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi ... pe ... paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati; idaṃ kho ahaṃ, udāyi, iñjitasmiṃ vadāmi. kiñca tattha iñjitasmiṃ? yadeva tattha vitakkavicārā aniruddhā honti idaṃ tattha iñjitasmiṃ.

"Now, there is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities — enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. That, I tell you, comes under the perturbable. And what comes under the perturbable there? The directed thoughts & evaluations that haven't ceased there: that's what comes under the perturbable there.

Doesn’t Vism. V&V also include EBT definition in their VRJ also?

short answer: only in access concentration, not in jhāna

There is no access concentration in EBT. The parts of Vism. That quote EBT passages that seem like they agree with the V&V thinking and evaluation in jhāna, if you check Vism. Carefully they partition that into the “access concentration” department, which precedes the Vism. Redefinition of first jhāna, and is not the same as first jhāna.

long answer

So first of all, there is no upacara samadhi (access concentration) in the EBT. In the Vism., if you see V&V (vitakka and vicara) behaving like speech fabrications (vaci sankhara), it’s happening in access concentration PRIOR to first jhāna (VRJ- vism. redefinition of jhāna). An EBT V&V thought such as “may that mosquito biting me be happy”, in the Vism., would occur under the access concentration portion of the text. Here is what Vism. says about jhāna absorption using Metta.

When he discriminates between The four, that is himself, the dear,
The neutral, and the hostile one,
Then “skilled” is not the name he gets,
Nor “having amity at will,”
But only “kindly towards beings.”
Now, when a bhikkhu’s barriers
Have all the four been broken down,
He treats with equal amity
The whole world with its deities;
Far more distinguished than the first
Is he who knows no barriers.
Thus the sign and access are obtained by this bhikkhu simultaneously with the breaking down of the barriers. But when breaking down of the barriers has been effected, he reaches absorption in the way described under the earth kasiṇa without trouble by cultivating, developing, and repeatedly practicing that same sign.
At this point he has attained the first jhāna, which abandons five factors, possesses five factors, is good in three ways, is endowed with ten characteristics, and is accompanied by loving-kindness. And when that has been obtained, then by cultivating, developing, and repeatedly practicing that same sign, he successively reaches the second and third jhānas in the fourfold system, and the second, third and fourth in the fivefold system. [308]

In short, when it goes from access concentration, during which time V&V of the EBT type can happen, transitions into jhāna absorption, it refers you to the earth kasina section, as it does for the 10 kasinas, 16 APS (anapanasati) and pretty much all of the 40 meditation subject that can attain first jhana, AFAIK. In the earth kasina first jhana absorption, V&V is redefined as applied and sustained thought that grabs onto a visual nimitta or kasina (vitakka), and stays glued to it (vicara), no longer having the ability to do V&V in the EBT way of “thinking and evaluation”.

In the exact words of Vism:

This, in the first place, is the explanation of the meaning of the words “quite
secluded from sense desires, secluded from unprofitable things.”
88.So far the factors abandoned by the jhāna have been shown. And now, in order to show the factors associated with it, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought is said. [142] Herein, applied thinking (vitakkana) is applied thought (vitakka); hitting upon, is what is meant.25 It has the characteristic of directing the mind on to an object (mounting the mind on its object). Its function is to strike at and thresh—for the meditator is said, in virtue of it, to have the object struck at by applied thought, threshed by applied thought. It is manifested as the leading of the mind onto an object. Sustained thinking (vicaraṇa) is sustained thought (vicāra); continued sustainment (anusañcaraṇa), is what is meant. It has the characteristic of continued pressure on (occupation with) the object. Its function is to keep conascent [mental] states [occupied] with that. It is manifested as keeping consciousness anchored [on that object].

Of the 40 meditation subjects that can only take you to access concentration, and not into first jhāna, such as:
(quoting from wikipedia)

First three recollections are of the virtues of the Three Jewels:

(1) Buddha
(2) Dharma
(3) Sangha

Next three are recollections of the virtues of:

(4) morality (Śīla)
(5) liberality (cāga)
(6) the wholesome attributes of Devas

Recollections of:
(8) death (see Upajjhatthana Sutta)

(10) peace (see Nibbana).

Again you can see having V&V of the EBT type (thinking and evaluation/pondering/considering) only takes you to access concentration, can not take you into VRJ jhana, whereas in the EBT, those recollections using V&V of thinking and evaluation are part of sati and dhammavicaya bojjhanga, lead to samadhi bojjhanga and first jhana in a natural and straightforward way (SN 46.3, AN 5.26, MN 20, AN 8.63 to name a few prominent examples). EBT V&V and jhāna is organic, holistic, gradual. VRJ and Vism. redefined V&V is a genetically modified monstrosity with disastrous consequences.

And this is why the foolish cow is doomed (AN 9.35) if they follow the Vism. redefintion of V&V and jhāna, rather than the EBT understanding of V&V in first jhāna as directed thought and evaluation. If you study things carefully, you can see in earlier Theravada, KN Peta, Vimuttimagga, even the canonical Abhidhamma vibhanga retains the original EBT V&V meaning of thinking as a speech fabrication.

synergy of V&V, 7sb, 4j, 4sp, 37bp

37bp = 4pd + 4ip + 4sp + 5bal + 5ind + 7sb + 8aam

sati = remembering, memory, remembrance. one who is a rememberer has sati.
a-sati = forgetful, not-remembering, not-rememberful

What does sati remember? Always remember the Dhamma. Dhamma with a capital D.

Dhamma = Dhamma teachings re-discovered by the Buddha that lead to the end of suffering, to vi-raga, to nirodho, to nirvana.

a-Dhamma = not-Dhamma. one sutta defines it terms of the specific parts of wrong view, wrong action, wrong speech. So Dhamma is the opposite, it means he practice of right view, right speech, right action, or more completely, the 8aam (noble eightfold path) or 4as (noble truths).

samma sati = right remembering = right remembering of the Dhamma,
sati 'patthana = remembrance establishing = remembering to do Dhamma, remembering to be Dhamma every moment, to give Dhamma everything you got, in this one breath, or the time it takes to eat one morsel of food. Who knows when death comes (marana-sati, death-remembering)?
sati-sambojjhanga = samma sati = sati patthana.

The 4th aspect of the 4sp (satipatthana) is Dhamma-anu-passana = The Dhamma, you continuously see, non-stop.

the 4th of the 4sp:
Dhamme-Dhamma-anu-passana = seeing of Dhamma as Dhamma. That means you're constantly practicing Dhamma-vicaya-sam-bojjhanga, constantly discriminating, scrutinizing the Dhamma to make sure what think of as Dhamma practice is matching up to genuine Dhamma. In the process of Dhamma investigation, you might work with dhammas (things, qualities, phenomena), but never-forget (a-sati) that Dhamma (4as) is the goal, it's every thing, it's the only thing that matters.

Kaye-kaya-anu-passana = continously seeing the body as the body. That the body is just a body, merely rupa, that it is impermanent, not self, not yours, etc. Seeing the body as it actually is (yatha bhuta). You don't see the body and make futile plans for an imagined future, in unrealistic ways. Remembering (sati) to see (passati) and discern (pajanati) body as it actually is builds pañña (discernment/wisdom) and right view. evam etam yathu bhutam samma paññaya datthabam. right viewing, right discernment, is built from sati (remembering Dhamma) one moment of pajanati at a time.

the 37bp is brilliantly designed to massively and intuitively link to every other factor.

At the top of the food chain, you could remember Dhamma = 8aam, or Dhamma = 4as. Either way will work, because the first factor of 8aam, right view, is knowledge of 4as. And the 4th noble truth, is the practice of the 8aam.

7sb, is like zooming in on the samadhi khandha (group) of the 8aam (vayamo, sati, samadhi): but in a slightly different order, and with some extra factors added in that shows a causal sequence that gets you from sati to samadhi. Then upekhha, juiced up with the power of samadhi, is able to prove the hypothesis of saddha-indriya (conviction faculty of 5ind and 5bal), and that view isn't just a theory anymore, but direct experience and knowledge of the truth of Dhamma.

At the beginning of the article, I asserted that what sati remembers is Dhamma. I bet many of you are questioning that. You think sati is being mindful of the 4sp (satipatthana)? The 4th sp is Dhamma-anu-passana, essentially the same as dhamma-vicaya-bojjhanga. And where in the 7sb causal sequence does Dhamma-vicaya sit? At #2. What's at number #1? sati. Sati remembers Dhamma, Dhamma-vicaya inspects the Dhamma that sati remembered (SN 46.3). So this is the brilliant architecture and design of the Buddha's oral tradition in teaching Dhamma. Whatever factor you remember, it contains a hook that seamlessly links you to the next related, relevant Dhamma factor(s).

So whether you focus on just sati, or just Dhamma, or even samma-samadhi, you're always just one link away from 4as and Dhamma, connected holistically and symbiotically. That's why it's important to translate and understand the basic terms correctly, otherwise it breaks the links, and turns parts of the 37bp, 4as, 8aam into vestigial organs, like a man living alone needing to nurse an infant who desperately needs mother's milk. His nipples don't produce milk.

So what if you just focus on samma samadhi? How does that link to Dhamma and 7sb? Three places. The obvious ones are S&S&U (sati & sampajano & upekkha) explicitly stated in the 3rd and 4th jhana. The not obvious but very important link is V&V in first jhana. You don't leave 4sp to practice 4j (jhanas). Sati is always on, always active, 4sp is always on. There is no off switch for 4sp, no time out, no break. It's not explicitly listed in 2nd and 1st jhana, but it's available and on call. In first jhana, V&V (vitakka & vicara) acts as a coarser form of S&S&U. Vitakaa is directed thought. It performs the role of sati-sambojjhanga. It remembers (sati) the Dhamma. It picks the meditation topic. Dhamma-vicaya-sambojjhanga takes the topic selected by vitakka/sati-samobobjjhanga, and investigates it with vicara. Look it up. It's in SN 46.3. anu-vitakka, anu-vicara.

In second jhana, with V&V disappearing, it doesn't mean vipassana capability as disabled until 3rd jhana, where S&S&U is explicitly present. It just means the rapture-pleasure of 2nd jhana is so strong it's difficult to exercise S&S&U. Just like a kid is playing with toys and you try to take toys away from him. It's not easy to do.

Here's the part most people never notice or realize. Look at the beginning of first jhana, and the conclusion of 4th jhana, and compare to the causal sequence of 7sb. 7sb starts with sati, ends with upekkha.

First jhana starts with vitakka (doing the role of sati samobjjhanga) and vicara (doing the role of dhamma vicaya sambojjhanga). 4th jhana ends with upekkha-sati-pari-suddhim. Purified remembrance & clear-discerning & equanimous-observation. Although sampajano is not stated in 4th jhana, usually "sati" means "sati & sampajano" just as from context often you can tell a single "samadhi" really means "samma samadhi that leads to nirvana" in context. And upekkha means equanimous-observation. Not just a passive attitude of equanimity. So again, upekkha-sambojjhanga matches the culmination of the 4th jhana. Whether you focus just on samma-samadhi and 4j (jhanas), or sati, or 7sb, they all map out the same exact road map that takes you from deluded to nirvana.

simile of map with multiple views

It’s like if you could use google maps to show the map for driving from “ignorance street, usa”, to “the ancient city of nirvana”, you could look at it in multiple views:

street map view in two dimensional drawings
topographical map with color
satellite view
3d first perspective view

Similarly, choosing between 8aam, 7sb, sati, 4j, 4ip, etc, is just choosing a different view of the same road to nirvana. Just a slightly different angle and view of the same terrain. And that’s one way you can tell or suspect if Dhamma is being distorted or corrupted. If things don’t link up, you can’t connect the dots and see how it all overlays, overlaps, interpenetrate each other, there might be a serious problem.

simile of sword of samadhi

This is why sati (remembering, not forgetting) important Dhammas, and the oral tradition way of practicing is so important. If you don’t have the basic fundamental pieces so thoroughly ingrained in your memory, built up from reciting, recollecting (sati) every day, throughout the day, you’re not going to be able to connect the dots, see the connections, understand how it all works together and what you should be doing every moment. Just like the fortress simile says, the memorized Dhammas are your weapons. Don’t have it memorized well, don’t got no weapons. You’ll be going into battle with Mara carrying paper clips and an iphone when what you need is a sword of samadhi + 4, blazing with the white hot heat of pañña, burning so hot it singes Mara’s nose hairs from miles away, shining so bright Mara’s minions have to look away like they’re being blinded by the sun.

The a-sati follower goes into battle frantically swiping his iphone screen, asking Siri for help, flipping through heavy books, looking for answers, but it's too late. Mara's horde slices you up to ribbons in seconds.

So you want to be the guy with sati and SoS +4, or the guy with the iphone and a-sati?

all suttas with 'vitakka' in sutta title

MN ¹⁹ Dvedhā-vitakka-sutta: two types of thinking, the most detailed sutta in explaining transition of vitakka just before first jhana, and into first jhana.
MN ²⁰ Vitakka-saṇṭhāna-sutta: builds on MN ¹⁹ with 5 ways of removing vitakka to enter 2nd jhana and higher.
SN ^9.11 A-kusala-vitakka-sutta: deva advises monks on removing 3 wrong thoughts, and developing right thoughts into 7sb sequence to nirvana, basically a condensed version of AN 6.10

SN ^28.2 A-vitakka-sutta: sariputta describing his 2nd jhana
SN ^43.1 Sa-vitakka-sa-vicāra-sutta: just listing 3 samadhi types:
“Katamo ca, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatagāmimaggo? Savitakkasavicāro samādhi, avitakkavicāramatto samādhi, avitakkaavicāro samādhi—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatagāmimaggo … pe ….

SN ^56.7 Vitakka-sutta: thoughts about 4 noble truths in first jhana possible
SN ^56.8 Cinta-sutta - synonymous with vitakka apparently, identical in content to SN ^56.7 .

AN ^6.109 Vitakka-sutta: develop 3 right thoughts (corresponding to samma sankapp) to replace 3 wrong thoughts

AN ^8.30 Anuruddha-mahā-vitakka-sutta: 8 great thoughts, that carry right into the same vitakka of first jhana.

KN Iti 38 Vitakka-sutta: Buddha developed 2 types of thoughts frequently. One of not harming, and one of renunciation in seclusion.

KN Iti 80 Vitakka-sutta: the finer impure thoughts a monk has to remove to enter 1st jhana

16 – V&V💭 Vitakka & Vicāra in 1st Jhāna

V&V💭: vitakka & vicāra

KN Pe on their commentary of V&V in first jhana, does the best job I've seen in defining and explaining it in a way that can survive time, history, and the shennanigans and accidents that can corrupt the text. They do it by using fantastic similes. They really nailed it, and I can't do better than they did. All I did was restate what they already said in a slightly different way. But what I can do is point out the EBT source that probably inspired their similes and strengthens their case as the authoritative and correct definition for V&V.

simile of man seeing person approaching

Example:
1. A man sees (passati) a person in the distance approaching.
2. The person approaching has distinguishable characteristics (sañña), such as being male or female, their color, shape.
3. Vitakka is the initial fixing on that line of thinking.
4. The man then considers further (vicara), "is that approaching person virtuous (sila) or non-virtuous? Rich or poor?"

What's striking about the simile is that it's not just a simile, that is literally what sati and dhamma-vicaya sambojjhanga do, as the entry point of the 7sb (awakening factors).
* note = sati-sambojjhanga same as sati, satipatthana, samma sati

SN 46.3 Sīla-sutta: Virtue

(implied: pamojja and pīti would result from contact with inspiring monks)
(0. 👂 Bhikkhūnaṃ dhammaṃ sutvā)	0. 👂 listen to Dhamma [teaching] from a monk [and memorize it]
(1. 🐘 Sati: taṃ Dhammaṃ anus-sarati anu-vitakketi)	1. 🐘 that Dhamma [teaching] (he) recollects and thinks about
(2. 💭 Dhamma-vicaya: taṃ dhammaṃ paññāya, pa-vicinati pa-vicarati pari-vīmaṃsam-āpajjati )	2. 💭 that Dhamma discerning; he discriminates, evaluates, investigates
(3. 🏹 Vīriya: āraddhaṃ hoti vīriyaṃ a-sallīnaṃ.)	3. 🏹 his aroused vigor is not-slackening
(4. 😁 Pīti: Āraddha-vīriyassa uppajjati pīti nir-āmisā,)	4. 😁 his aroused vigor leads to arising of rapture not-carnal (of jhana)
(5. 🌊 Passaddhi: Pīti-man-assa, kāyo-pi passambhati, cittam-pi passambhati )	5. 🌊 with enraptured-mind, his body becomes pacified, his mind becomes pacified
(6. 🌄 Samādhi: Passaddha-kāyassa sukhino, cittaṃ samādhiyati.)	6. 🌄 with pacified body, he is in pleasure, mind becomes undistractable and lucid.
(7. 👁 Upekkha: so tathā-samāhitaṃ cittaṃ, sādhukaṃ ajjh-upekkhitā hoti)	7. 👁 he of such undistractable & lucid mind, thoroughly looks-upon-it-with-equanimity
(7 types of fruits, Nirvana)	Seven different levels of awakening results from proper practice of 7sb.

Sati, right remembrance, picks a topic (vitakka) to explore (vicara), by "remembering"/recollecting a Dhamma topic. In first jhana, Vitakka, performs this task, and as you can see in SN 46.3, the word "anu-vitakketi" is right there.

The next step in 7sb, dhamma-vicaya, explores the topic remembered by sati (overlapping and sharing duties with vicara for first jhana). In fact the exact word "pa-vicarati" is used in SN 46.3. And in SN 46.2, it describes the duty of dhamma-vicaya as analayzing the topic recollected by sati and discerning whether that Dhamma is wholesome or unwholesome, blameable or blameless, etc. In the KN Pe simile, the man is scrutizing whether the approaching person has virtue (sila) or is not-virtuous. What a perfect simile directly referencing the 7sb suttas!

* For second jhana and higher, "paññāya, vimamsa, pajanati" would do the work of dhamma-vicaya instead of first jhana's vicara.

The exploration (vicara) of that Dhamma organically leads to rapture, pacification, deepening of the jhanas. As opposed to artificially cultivating samatha by staring at kasinas, for example.

"simile" of person reciting and reflecting

In another noteworthy simile the KN Pe uses,
simile of reciting is literally like SN 36.11 voice-speaking (vaca) dropping out of first jhana, leaving vaci-sankhara, i.e. v&v remains!

yathā paliko tuṇhiko sajjhāyaṃ karoti evaṃ vitakko,
583. just-as (a) reciter silently recites, such (is) directed-thoughts,
yathā taṃyeva anupassati evaṃ vicāro.
just-as that-recitation (he) contemplates, such (is) evaluation.

Compare to gradual cessations in SN 36.11 with vocalized-speech ceasing in first jhana. Dropping out in second jhana are V&V, thoughts-&-evaluation, equivalent to the un-vocalized-speech ceasing in first jhana.

And especially in AN 5.26 and understanding how the oral tradition works.

Late Theravada sterilizes 7sb

This is probably why in later Theravada you never hear anyone talking about 7sb and how to practice it. Instead they have a preferred system with samatha segregated as something you should do separately from vipassana. To that end, they emphasize "5 jhana factors", which in the EBT the Buddha never talks about, it's only mentioned 2 or 3 times by Sariputta, often a signal of later Abhidhamma recension. 7sb in later theravada seems to be mischaracterized as not something you practice every moment, but something only ariya possess after their awakening. A careful reading of the EBT reveals the opposite case. Right out of the gate 7sb is something you practice all the time, not a reward that awaits you only after you attain Nirvana. Why would the Buddha bother composing so many suttas detailing practical details if it were only some decorative badges to be awarded after the journey has concluded? That would be the opposite of pragmatic, a waste of time.

The other similes are worth studying as well, unforunately they have textual corruption, from the source palm leaf writing being scrambled or mistranscribed, so there is less confidence in the results.

making robust dictionary entry

KN Pe V&V defintion is a wonderful example of how to make a dictionary entry that can stand the test of time. Use excellent similes, and redundancy. Having a list of snyonyms with no context or examples only leaves you in doubt and reliant on previous dictionary definitions which may be inaccurate. But put in several carefully crafted similes and examples, like the "skin flesh bones" in Theravada commentary for AN 5.28, and you can prevent future generations from distorting mirespresenting the genuine definitions.

ayaṃ tāva vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehīti ettha atthappakāsanā.	This, in the first place, is the explanation of the meaning of the words “quite secluded from sense desires, secluded from unprofitable things.”
♦ 71. ettāvatā ca paṭhamassa jhānassa pahānaṅgaṃ dassetvā	88.So far the factors abandoned by the jhāna have been shown.
idāni sampayogaṅgaṃ dassetuṃ sa-vitakkaṃ sa-vicārantiādi vuttaṃ.	And now, in order to show the factors associated with it, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought is said.

tattha vitakkanaṃ vitakko,	[142] Herein, applied thinking (vitakkana) is applied thought (vitakka);
ūhananti vuttaṃ hoti.	hitting upon, is what is meant.25
svāyaṃ ārammaṇe cittassa abhiniropanalakkhaṇo,	It has the characteristic of directing the mind on to an object (mounting the mind on its object).
āhananapariyāhananaraso.	Its function is to strike at and thresh—
tathā hi tena yogāvacaro ārammaṇaṃ vitakkāhataṃ vitakkapariyāhataṃ karotīti vuccati.	for the meditator is said, in virtue of it, to have the object struck at by applied thought, threshed by applied thought.
ārammaṇe cittassa ānayanapaccupaṭṭhāno.	It is manifested as the leading of the mind onto an object.

♦ vicaraṇaṃ vicāro,	Sustained thinking (vicaraṇa) is sustained thought (vicāra);
anusañcaraṇanti vuttaṃ hoti.	continued sustainment (anusañcaraṇa), is what is meant.
svāyaṃ ārammaṇānumajjanalakkhaṇo,	It has the characteristic of continued pressure on (occupation with) the object.
tattha sahajātānuyojanaraso,	Its function is to keep conascent [mental] states [occupied] with that.
cittassa anuppabandhanapaccupaṭṭhāno.	It is manifested as keeping consciousness anchored [on that object].

4👑☸ Cattāri Ariya-saccaṃ 四聖諦

V&V💭 in 1st Jhāna🌘

V&V💭: vitakka & vicāra

1 – Synopsis

1.1 - Explicit continuity of kusala vitakka straight into 1st jhāna formula

Detailed audit of MN 19, 78, 125, highlighted pali + english

synopsis of section 1

from non EBT, also showing the same explicit continuity of vitakka into standard first jhana formula

1.2 - Hierarchy of vedana, sañña, Vitakka

Synopsis of section 2.

Conclusion:

Detailed audit, highlighted pali + english

1.3 - PreexistingTerms for Subverbal mental activity

no need to hijack ‘vitakka’ and overload it with subverbal meaning

conclusion of section 3

1.4 – Oral tradition, vācā, vaci-sankhara, vitakka

Why do you think noble silence is 2nd jhāna, and not first?

Jain founder doesn’t believe 2nd jhana is possible

1.5 – There is no vitakka controversy

Illegitimate Legitimacy

conclusion of this section:

1.20 – Final remarks of synopsis

Even animals use V&V💭 to communicate

2 – EBT V&V sutta references relevant to 1st jhāna

AN anguttara V&V

AN 3.33 dhamma-takka is first jhana

AN 3.33 dhamma-takka is first jhana

(previous line, 5niv⛅ hindrances, next line is j4🌕 4th jhana, line after that dhamma-takka is j1🌘 first jhana)

AN 3.60 telepathy, “hearing” V&V

AN 4.11 vitakka here is definitely first and second jhana context

AN 4.11, AN 4.12

AN 4.22 sankappa, upekkha, in samadhi

AN 4.35 vitakka & sankappa adjacent to 4j, mastery of thought

AN 4.35 similar to MN 20

AN 5.26 involves hearing sound of dhamma talk, V&V, reciting dhamma, 7sb and 4j

AN 5.26 vitakka used to enter 7sb☀️ and 4j🌕

AN 5.73 V&V, upekkha, recitation, samatha, jhāna

(4. Not Dhamma-dweller: no samatha, excessive V&V)

AN 5.176 seclusion, rapture, implied V&V of first jhana, 500 lay followers doing 1st jhana

AN 5.179 500 lay followers with thinking first jhana are now stream enterers, but uses code phrases “pleasurable abiding” and abhi-cetasika

AN 5.179, AN 6.10

AN 6.10 recollection of 3 gems, virtue, generosity, devas into jhāna

AN 6.56 Phagguna attained arahantship with hearing, V&V

AN 6.73, AN 6.74, AN 6.75 three suttas on first jhana V&V

AN 6.73, AN 6.74, AN 6.75 three suttas on first jhana V&V

AN 7.61 uses V&V and reciting dhamma to stop drowsiness in samādhi

AN 8.30 8 thoughts of great man lead to 4 jhānas

(8 great vitakka lead to 4j)

(4j = heightened mental states = ābhi-cetasikānaṃ)

first jhana turing test

AN 8.63 three ways of samadhi, 4sp and 4bv

AN 8.63, samadhi in 3 ways samādhi in 3 ways

AN 9.14 sankappa & vitakka, nama rupa is source, samadhi and sati and panna

AN 9.41 Buddha doing imperfect first jhana, using V&V

AN 11.11 adds 5 other items, but otherwise same 6 items as AN 6.10

AN 11.11, AN 6.10

AN 11.12 same as AN 11.11, with this interesting variation

(a different ending portion of refrain than AN 11.11)

DN Digha V&V

DN 18 three ways to use implicit vitakka to arouse mudita, piti, sukha, to activitate 7sb☀️

more than 2 million Magadan stream enterers have passed away

DN 21 vitakka as source of desire/chanda, second jhana (no vitakka) better than j1

Meditation on Feelings 2.2. Vedanākammaṭṭhāna

V&V vitakka must be referring to samadhi

DN 22 v&v above subverbal mental activity in hierarchy, explicit continuity of v&v into first jhana️

DN 28: contains same passage as AN 3.60 telepathy, “hearing” V&V️

KN Khuddhaka V&V

KN Iti 38 similar to MN 19 in showing types of positive thoughts

KN Mil 3.3.13-14 two similes for V&V don’t support vism. As well as EBT

MN majjhima V&V

MN 18 contact → feel → perceive → think → proliferate

(6aya. Eye base 👁)

(same pattern for remaining 6aya. 👁 👂 👃 👅 👆 💭)

MN 19 lower bound of first jhāna, too much thinking makes body tired

MN 19 has 3 types of “right intention” and “wrong intention”)

(Note these 3 thoughts are exactly the samkappo in “right intention” in 8aam)

( kāma vitakko)

MN 19 parallel Nian jing 念經 (MĀ 102 at T26. 589a)

MN 20 using 5 nimittas of samadhi to get into 2nd jhana

MN 36 Buddha as a boy stumbles into first jhāna

AN ^3.33 dhamma-takka is first jhana

AN ^4.11, AN ^4.12

AN ^4.35 similar to MN ²⁰

AN ^5.26 vitakka used to enter 7sb☀️ and 4j🌕

AN ^5.179, AN ^6.10

AN ^6.73, AN ^6.74, AN ^6.75 three suttas on first jhana V&V

AN ^8.63, samadhi in 3 ways samādhi in 3 ways

AN ^11.11, AN ^6.10