Meanings of vitakka

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From Jon abbott
https://groups.io/g/dsg/message/177706

In the General Introduction to his[ven. Bodhi] translation of the Saṃyutta Nikaya there is a useful note on the meaning of vitakka (and vicāra):

In common usage, vitakka corresponds so closely to our “thought” that no other rendering seems feasible; for example, in kāmavitakka, sensual thought, or its opposite, nekkhammavitakka, thought of renunciation.
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> When, however, vitakka and vicāra occur as constituents of the first jhāna, they do not exercise the function of discursive thinking characteristic of ordinary consciousness.
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> Here, rather, vitakka is the mental factor with the function of applying the mind to the object, and vicāra the factor with the function of examining the object non-discursively in order to anchor the mind in the object.
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> CDB General Introduction p52

So in common usage (in Pāli), vitakka means thought.

However, in the context of the mental factor of that name it means the mental factor with the function of applying the mind to the object.

Furthermore, there is a verbal form ‘vitakketi ’ which means to think, reflect or consider.

The following sutta is an instance of the use of vitakka as meaning thoughts and vitakketi as meaning thinks:

7 (7) Thoughts

“Bhikkhus, do not think evil unwholesome thoughts; that is, sensual thought, thought of ill will, thought of harming. For what reason? These thoughts, bhikkhus, are unbeneficial, irrelevant to the fundamentals of the holy life, [418] and do not lead to revulsion, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.

“When you think, bhikkhus, you should think: ‘This is suffering’; you should think: ‘This is the origin of suffering’; you should think: ‘This is the cessation of suffering’; you should think: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ For what reason? These thoughts, bhikkhus, are beneficial, relevant to the fundamentals of the holy life, and lead to revulsion, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.

“Therefore, bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’…An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’”

*SN 56:7 (CDB p1841)

Jon

Abbreviations:

CDB = Collected Discourses of the Buddha (a translation of the Saṃyutta Nikāya)

SN = Saṃyutta Nikāya

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In terms of Jhāna V&V are taken to be something like “applied and sustained thought”. Outside of Jhāna however do they mean something more like “thinking and pondering”, as in an inner dialogue?

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May be a simile (though no simile is perfect)

There is a simile I think in the Visuddhimagga, where during Jhana, vitakka is likened to a hand that tightly grabs on to something you want to polish.

Out side of meditation, vitakka acts like a hand that flips the pages of a book.

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Above may not be the best way to express this because during vipassana, vitakka together with samadhi etc helps ñāṇa deeply consider various dhammas.

Let’s just say vitakka is a instrumental cetasika dhamma that allows what we call thinking to occur.

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Here are the similes for vitakka and vicāra from the vsm.
Did you know you can use chatgpt to reformat pdf pasted texts… pretty cool.

CHAPTER IV VSM

  1. 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. 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].

  1. And, though sometimes not separate, applied thought is the first impact of the mind in the sense that it is both gross and inceptive, like the striking of a bell. Sustained thought is the act of keeping the mind anchored, in the sense that it is subtle with the individual essence of continued pressure, like the ringing of the bell.

Applied thought intervenes, being the interference of consciousness at the time of first arousing [thought], like a bird’s spreading out its wings when about to soar into the air, and like a bee’s diving towards a lotus when it is minded to follow up the scent of it.

The behaviour of sustained thought is quiet, being the near non-interference of consciousness, like the bird’s planing with outspread wings after soaring into the air, and like the bee’s buzzing above the lotus after it has dived towards it.

  1. In the commentary to the Book of Twos this is said:

“Applied thought occurs as a state of directing the mind onto an object, like the movement of a large bird taking off into the air by engaging the air with both wings and forcing them downwards. For it causes absorption by being unified. Sustained thought occurs with the individual essence of continued pressure, like the bird’s movement when it is using (activating) its wings for the purpose of keeping hold on the air. For it keeps pressing the object.”

That fits in with the latter’s occurrence as anchoring. This difference of theirs becomes evident in the first and second jhānas [in the fivefold reckoning].

  1. Furthermore, applied thought is like the hand that grips firmly and sustained thought is like the hand that rubs, when one grips a tarnished metal dish firmly with one hand and rubs it with powder and oil and a woollen pad with the other hand.

Likewise, when a potter has spun his wheel with a stroke on the stick and is making a dish [143], his supporting hand is like applied thought and his hand that moves back and forth is like sustained thought.

Likewise, when one is drawing a circle, the pin that stays fixed down in the centre is like applied thought, which directs onto the object, and the pin that revolves round it is like sustained thought, which continuously presses.

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Thank you Bhante. What I am getting at is that when someone thinks in their head “This is an elephant” what are those internal thoughts in the Abhidhamma? I know not everyone thinks in terms of an inner monologue, some think in pictures and some don’t have one at all, but for simplicity I’m focusing on those who do think in words.

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Many dhammas working together. But even to normal people vitakka and vicara is somewhat apparent. Hence the expressions “I was so absorbed in thought” , “I don’t want to dwell on that thought” etc.