4👑☸ Cattāri Ariya-saccaṃ 四聖諦

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V&V disamb. 0 – V&V disambiguation
V&V disamb. 1 – V&V in Vism. And Abhidhamma
V&V disamb. 2 – Vimt. 1st jhana usig 4bv and vitakka work just like in EBT, Vism. Incoherent
V&V disamb. 3 – Abhidharma from non Theravada sources
V&V disamb. 4 - Vism. 1st jhana gloss, earth kasina
V&V disamb. 6 – Non Buddhist vitakka & vicāra

detailed TOC

 V&V disamb. 0 – V&V disambiguation
V&V disamb. 1 – V&V in Vism. And Abhidhamma
        V&V disamb. 1.1 – even in Vism. Vitakka means “thinking”
        V&V disamb. 1.2 – takka, nāma, concept
        V&V disamb. 1.3 – In Vism., unlike EBT, vitakka is restricted to ‘access concentration’
    V&V disamb. 1.4 – mistranslation of V&V in Abhidhamma
V&V disamb. 2 – Vimt. 1st jhāna usig 4bv and vitakka work just like in EBT, Vism. Incoherent
V&V disamb. 3 – Abhidharma from non Theravada sources
    V&V disamb. 3.1 – Sphuṭārthā Abhidharmakośavyākhyā 64-65
            V&V disamb. 3.1.2 - (crizna adds more in a related thread)
    V&V disamb. 3.2 – Yogacarabhumi Commentary to SA263:
    V&V disamb. 3.3 – Yogacarabhumi Commentary to SA272:
    V&V disamb. 3.4 – Yogacarabhumi 302b22: game changer
V&V disamb. 4 - Vism. 1st jhāna gloss, earth kasina
        V&V disamb. 4.1 – earth kasina explanation
        V&V disamb. 4.2 – earth kasina T&V: takka & vitakka, thinking & applied-thinking
        V&V disamb. 4.3 – asubha T&V as mental recitation
        V&V disamb. 4.4 – arupa infinite space T&V as mental recitation
        V&V disamb. 4.5 – arupa infinite consciousness T&V as mental recitation
        V&V disamb. 4.6 – arupa nothingness T&V as mental recitation
        V&V disamb. 4.7 – arupa #8 T&V as mental recitation
        V&V disamb. 4.8 – Vibhanga Atthakatha explaining why V&V drops out in 2nd jhāna
        V&V disamb. 4.9 – Even 3rd jhāna can be triggered with vitakka as mental recitation
V&V disamb. 6 – Non Buddhist vitakka & vicāra
    V&V disamb. 6.1 – Jhāna/dhyāna in Mahābhārata and classical yoga philosophy
    V&V disamb. 6.2 - \ The meanings of Sanskrit dhyāna in the Pātañjala-yoga-śāstra

0 – V&V disambiguation

1 – V&V in Vism. And Abhidhamma

Synopsis


1.1 – even in Vism. Vitakka means “thinking”

What these passages from Vism. show, is that even in Vism., Vitakka still retains the same meaning of:
vitakka & vicara = vaci-sankhara (vocalized-speech-fabrications) from MN 44

That is, vitakka is the thought you think before you say it out loud.
vitakka is mental talk.
vitakka can be reciting a memorized sutta in the mind without vocalizing it.

B. Nanamoli translates V&V in Vism. as “applied thought” and “sustained thought”. We’ll disect vicara later to show how Vism. corrupts the meaning of vicara for jhāna, but at least these passages show “Vitakka” still retains the correct EBT meaning of thoughts as mental recitation of unvocalized speech (MN 44).

Other translators have rendered Vism.'s first jhāna V&V as “initial application” & “sustained application”. That is monumentally wrong, even just in the context of Vism. first and second jhāna. As you can see in the passages below, Vitakka definitely needs to have “thought” to indicate mental recitation of speech.

B. Sujato, in translating Vitakka for jhāna context as “placing the mind”, is also egregiously incorrect in the same way as “initial application”. Vitakka in Vism. jhāna has two parts to it:

the function of placing the mind on an object
the function of “placing” doesn’t exist in a vaccuum. It refers to a “thought” (vaci-sankhara), an object with meaning.
Both function and meaning need to be present in the definition of Vitakka. B. Sujato and those who render Vitakka as “initial application” removes the meaningful content. You can not do that.

1.2 – takka, nāma, concept

Takka = (logical) thinking (as opposed to ordinary discursive thinking), nāma is ‘name’ or a concept. So the passages repeated use of vitakka along with takka show that this is absolutely referring to verbal activity, the thoughts you think before you say them out loud.

1.3 – In Vism., unlike EBT, vitakka is restricted to ‘access concentration’

But the passage from Abhidhamma Vb commentary in 4sp shows that in an earlier version of Abhidhamma, vitakka is still in he first jhāna of 32 body parts and patikula cemetary contemplations.
In any case, the fact that Vism. Restricts the vitakka to access concentratino, doesn’t affect the fact that vitakka must be still translated as ‘directed thought’, not ‘initial application’ or ‘placing the mind’. The passages are unequivocal that vitakka ‘earth kasina, earth kasina’, is a vocal fabrication, a thought you think before you say it out loud, it can not be just a movement of mind (divorced from the an object that it comprehends).


1.4 – mistranslation of V&V in Abhidhamma

https://notesonthedhamma.blogspot.com/2019/09/audit-u-thittila-mistranslation-of-v-in.html

Audit: U Thittila mistranslation of V&V in Abhidhamma Vb first jhāna gloss

Abhdhamma Vibhanga 12, V&V in jhānas
first jhāna gloss V&V, (2nd jhana same gloss)

Wrong English translation by U Thittila 1969

“Accompanied by initial application, accompanied by sustained application” means: There is initial application; there is sustained application.

Therein what is initial application? That which is mentation, thinking, thought, fixation, focussing, application of the mind, right thought. This is called initial application.

Therein what is sustained application? That which is searching, examining, constant examining, scrutinizing, constant connection of (and) constant inspection by consciousness. This is called sustained application. Thus of this initial application and of this sustained application he is possessed, See section 357. furnished. Therefore this is called “accompanied by initial application, accompanied by sustained application”.

♦ 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.


Show how it's wrong with a similar example:

wrong way to translate 'food': (as dog food pellets)

and what, monks, is dog-food-pellets?
dog-food-pellets is nutrients,
vegetable, fruit, beans,
health-food, junk-food, dog-food-pellets,
human-food, worm-compost, cat-food,
that, monks, is dog-food-pellets.

correct way to translate 'food':

and what, monks, is food?
food is nutrients,
vegetable, fruit, beans,
health-food, junk-food, dog-food-pellets,
human-food, worm-compost, cat-food,
that, monks, is food.

See the logical error?

It's not easy to detect if you're not really looking for it, because the wrong translation has an awkward meaning,  but can still be somewhat coherent. To spot the error, you have to know what the original word being translated was.

Food is not equivalent to dog-food-pellets.
Dog-food-pellets are a subset of food.
So if we translate the word "food" as "dog food pellets", that's extremely wrong.

Similarly, "initial application" is a special additional meaning to the normal meaning of vitakka/thinking defined by Abhidhamma.
"Thinking" is not a subset of "initial application".
"initial application" is a subset of "Thinking".

Similarly for vitakka & vicara (V&V)

vitakka and vicara has established meaning in the EBT, everywhere outside of jhana and inside of jhana, it means "thinking & evaluation".

Vism. is redefining vitakka & vicara to INCLUDE a new special meaning for their redefined first jhana, that only applies within that redefined first jhana. So the correct way to translate the word vitakka, would still be "thinking".  Both Vimutti-magga and Vism. are using that Abhidhamma gloss of vitakka and vicara that U Thitthila mistranslates, so the vimuttimagga would no longer work properly if they went by U Thittthila's mistranslation.

♦ 565. “sa-vitakkaṃ sa-vicāran”ti
“Accompanied by thinking, accompanied by evaluation” means:
atthi vitakko, atthi vicāro.
There is thinking; there is evaluation.
♦ tattha katamo vitakko?
Therein what is thinking?
yo takko vitakko saṅkappo
That which is mentation, thinking, resolves,
appanā byappanā
fixation, focussing,
cetaso abhiniropanā sammā-saṅkappo —
application of the mind, right resolve.
ayaṃ vuccati “vitakko”.
This is called thinking.
♦ tattha katamo vicāro?
Therein what is evaluation?
yo cāro vicāro anu-vicāro upa-vicāro
That which is searching, evaluation, constant-evaluation, evaluative-scrutinizing,
cittassa anusandhanatā anupekkhanatā —
 constant connection of (and) constant inspection by consciousness.
ayaṃ vuccati vicāro.
This is called evaluation.

The highlighted words correspond to Utitthila's mistranslation of V&V as "initial application" and "sustained application".

Why is it deliberately mistranslated?

Because vitakka in the EBT means 'thinking' in every single case, whether inside or outside of jhana. So U Thitthila is deliberately mistranslating it to indoctrinate people with the Vism. redefinition of first jhana.

If you compare to Vimutti-magga for example,  composed a few hundred years earlier than Vism. and also based on Abhidhamma, there you can see that of the 40 meditation subjects, some subjects such as metta bhavana, 4 brahmavihara, uses vitakka = 'thinking' as a way into first jhāna, while also supporting the 10 kasina meditations which use the specialized  meaning of vitakka as "initial application" only in that special case.  In Vism., they change the metta practice and 4 brahmavihara  meditation to disallow the thinking, and you now have to use kasinas visualizing the beings you're directing to in order to be in 'first jhana'.

Conclusion

So the reason for the mistranslation of vitakka & vicara, is you're being groomed. You were used to eating human food from EBT (early buddhist texts). Late Theravada Abhidhamma is grooming you to only eat dog food pellets, and redefine the meaning of 'food' as 'dog food pellets.' You will eat dog food, and you will like it.



2 – Vimt. 1st jhāna usig 4bv and vitakka work just like in EBT, Vism. Incoherent

for vimt. and vism:
http://lucid24.org/sted/ebt/not/index.html

EBT:
http://lucid24.org/sted/4bv/index.html

Vimt. matches up quite well with EBT, especially you read the section on thoughts of metta and 'fixed meditation' , 'jhāna'. It doesn't segregate the thinking in access concentration.

In Vimt., which uses an earlier much less corrupt version of abhdhamma, access concentration means there's spikes of interruption of 5 hindrances, and appana samadhi, fixed penetration, means that 5 hindrances do not interrupt at all. A very reasonable definition that actually seems to work with EBT, by adding something without clobbering existing meanings and definitions.

Vism. on the the other hand, it's a complete mess of contradictions and incoherence.
I challenge any Abhidhamma expert to give a clear explanation of how the jhānas work while doing the 4 brahmaviharas. It doesn't make much sense to me. If you're in appana samadhi, absorption fixed 'jhāna', then how could you have any awareness and ability to direct intentions of metta in a direction, or targeting a specific person or group of beings? You'd have to be an upacara samadhi. But according to Vism., one can do metta in first 3 jhānas.

3 – Abhidharma from non Theravada sources

3.1 – Sphuṭārthā Abhidharmakośavyākhyā 64-65

.
 .
(excerpt from post by user crizna)
https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/v-v-in-sphu-artha-abhidharmakosavyakhya/11316
https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/misunderstandings-of-the-dhamma-alternative-views/11226/17

Let me illustrate the point by means of the much disputed terms ‘vitakka’ and ‘vicāra’. Unlike with the interpretations in the Theravāda tradition, there seems to have been no major disagreement among the Northern Schools as to the meaning of those terms.

vitarkaḥ katamaḥ. paryeṣako manojalpaḥ cetanāprajñāviśeṣaḥ yā cittasyaudārikatā.
 'What is ‘vitarka’? A mental murmur of enquiry (paryeṣako manojalpaḥ), which rests on the support of volition (cetanā) or speculative knowledge (prajñā), according as it does not or does include deduction (abhyūha), It is a gross state of mind.
vicāraḥ katamaḥ. pratyavekṣako manojalpas tathaiva yā cittasya sūkṣmatā. anabhyūhāvasthāyāṃ cetanā abhyūhāvasthāyāṃ prajñeti vyavasthāpyate.
 What is ‘vicāra’ ? A mental murmur of judgment (pratyavekṣako manojalpas) which rests on the volition, etc. (as above). That is the subtleness of mind.’
(Translation by P.S. Jaini in the Introduction to his edition of the Abhidharmadīpa, p. 87).
P.S. Jaini remarks: ‘Here ‘vitarka’ refers to the state of enquiry of mind and ‘vicāra’ to the state of judgment.’

In the Sphuṭārthā passage cited above Yaśomitra quoted the view of the old masters (pūrvācārya). Almost identical explanations are found in various treatises of Asaṅga (e.g. Abhidharmasamuccayabhāṣyam 8-9) and Vasubandhu (e.g. Pañca-Skandhaka 64). A similar explanation is also found in Harivarman’s Satyasiddhiśāstra 215 -216.

3.1.2 - (crizna adds more in a related thread)

https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/v-v-in-sphu-artha-abhidharmakosavyakhya/11316/11
Just to avoid any misunderstanding I would like to set the record straight. In my post I was referring to ‘vitakka’ (Skt. vitarka) and ‘vicāra’ in the context of ‘jhāna’ as defined in the Buddhist Sanskrit sources. There was of course a lot of controversy on ‘vitakka’ and ‘vicāra’ among the Northern schools, such as on the question if the two can arise simultaneously or not, if they are really two distinct qualities or just two aspects of the same principle and other questions of this type. But as regards the definition of meaning in the context of ‘jhāna’ there seems to have been no major disagreement among those schools.

Although the Abhidharmikas are well-known for their hairsplitting abilities, and at fine-tuning the smallest subtleties, such a definition as B. Brahmali presented here was evidently unknown to them. There exists no source material which is even faintly alluding to such a state of affairs. The whole idea of ‘vitakka’ and ‘vicāra’ as ‘pre-verbal movements of the mind’ clearly contradicts the Suttas. What could possibly be imagined as corresponding to this idea is referred to in the Sanskrit Abhidharma definition as volition (cetanā).

As I understand it, the definition given in the Sanskrit Abhidharma literature is not in any way broad, but rather quite specific and clear, leaving no room for fantastical interpretations. Contrary to what B. Brahmali is assuming, the most characteristic feature appearing in virtually all the Sanskrit text books dealing with the question is the distinction of ‘vitarka’ as gross state of mind (cittasyaudārikatā) and ‘vicāra’ as subtle mental state (cittasya sūkṣmatā).

In recent years there has been a worrying increase of fictional interpretations even of key terms without any foundation in language or scripture. I especially find the carelessness of how this is done alarming. If everybody now starts to ignore all conventions and just reads the meaning into a word that fits his personal view or legitimates a meditative practice which otherwise has no textual foundation, what will be the most likely outcome of this?

3.2 – Yogacarabhumi Commentary to SA263:

又尋求諸法，此慧名智；既尋求已，伺察諸法，此慧名見。
 “As for contemplating on/thinking about (xun/vitakka) a teaching, the discernment [that is exercised thereupon] is called wisdom; once a teaching is contemplated, it is investigated/further ruminated upon (si/vicara), and the discernment [that is exercised thereupon] is called seeing.”
(trans. By Dr. W. Chu)

3.3 – Yogacarabhumi Commentary to SA272:

於彼發起諸不正想，隨取相好，自斯已後，於其隨法，多隨尋思，多隨伺察。
 “On an occasion when an improper perception is given rise to, [the person] seizes on/is captivated by an alluring feature. In chasing after that phenomenon, he proliferates in thoughts (note: the character for vitakka is connected with the character for thinking, forming the compound xunsi) and proliferates in rumination.
(trans. By Dr. W. Chu)

3.4 – Yogacarabhumi 302b22: game changer

here's a real game changer that explicitly defines vitakka and vicara as thinking:

應知此相略有七種。一體性。二所緣。三行相。四等起。五差別。六決擇。七流轉。尋伺體性者。謂不深推度所緣。思為體性。若深推度所緣。慧為體性應知。尋伺所緣者。謂依名身句身文身義為所緣。
 “As for the essence and nature of vitakka and vicara: when a person is not deeply contemplating on and analyzing the object at hand, then thinking is the essence and nature [of vitakka and vicara]. When a person does deeply contemplate on and analyze the object at hand, then discernment is the essence and nature [of vitakka and vicara].
As for the corresponding objects of vitakka and vicara, they are individual words, sentences, and narratives.”
(trans. By Dr. W. Chu)

4 - Vism. 1st jhāna gloss, earth kasina

.
 .
https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=28489&sid=672d21a60f16704fea8a3fb575b2569a&start=60
(citations mined from Dmytro’s excellent contributions to that thread)

4.1 – earth kasina explanation

Vism 1, 4. pathavī-kasiṇa-niddeso
apica vaṇṇaṃ amuñcitvā nissayasavaṇṇaṃ katvā ussadavasena paṇṇattidhamme cittaṃ paṭṭhapetvā manasi kātabbaṃ.
 29. The colour should not be reviewed.
pathavī mahī, medinī, bhūmi, vasudhā, vasundharātiādīsu pathavīnāmesu yamicchati, yadassa saññānukūlaṃ hoti, taṃ vattabbaṃ.
 The characteristic should not be given attention.
apica pathavīti etadeva nāmaṃ pākaṭaṃ, tasmā pākaṭavaseneva pathavī pathavīti bhāvetabbaṃ.
 [8] But rather, while not ignoring the colour, attention should be given by setting the mind on the [name] concept as the most outstanding mental datum, relegating the colour to the position of a property of its physical support.
kālena ummīletvā kālena nimīletvā āvajjitabbaṃ.
 That [conceptual state] can be called by anyone he likes among the names for earth (pathavī) such as “earth” (pathavī), “the Great One” (mahī), “the Friendly One” (medinī), “ground” (bhūmi), “the Provider of Wealth” (vasudhā), “the Bearer of Wealth”(vasudharā), etc., whichever suits his manner of perception.
yāva uggahanimittaṃ nuppajjati, tāva kālasatampi kālasahassampi tato bhiyyopi eteneva nayena bhāvetabbaṃ.
 Still “earth” is also a name that is obvious, so it can be developed with the obvious one by saying “earth, earth.”
It should be adverted to now with eyes open, now with eyes shut.
And he should go on developing it in this way a hundred times, a thousand times, and even more than that, until the learning sign arises.

4.2 – earth kasina T&V: takka & vitakka, thinking & applied-thinking

57. tassevaṃ bhāvayato yadā nimīletvā āvajjantassa ummīlitakāle viya āpāthamāgacchati, tadā uggahanimittaṃ jātaṃ nāma hoti.
 When, while he is developing it in this way, it comes into focus as he adverts with his eyes shut exactly as it does with his eyes open, then the learning sign is said to have been produced.
tassa jātakālato paṭṭhāya na tasmiṃ ṭhāne nisīditabbaṃ.
 After its production he should no longer sit in that place;
attano vasanaṭṭhānaṃ pavisitvā tattha nisinnena bhāvetabbaṃ.
 he should return to his own quarters and go on developing it sitting there.
pādadhovanapapañcaparihāratthaṃ panassa ekapaṭalikupāhanā ca kattaradaṇḍo ca icchitabbo.
 But in order to avoid the delay of foot washing, a pair of single-soled sandals and a walking stick are desirable.
athānena sace taruṇo samādhi kenacideva asappāyakāraṇena nassati, upāhanā āruyha kattaradaṇḍaṃ gahetvā taṃ ṭhānaṃ gantvā nimittaṃ ādāya
 Then if the new concentration vanishes through some unsuitable encounter, he can put his sandals on, take his walking stick, and go back to the place to re-apprehend the sign there.
āgantvā sukhanisinnena bhāvetabbaṃ,
 When he returns he should seat himself comfortably
punappunaṃ samannāharitabbaṃ, takkāhataṃ vitakkāhataṃ kātabbaṃ.
 and develop it by reiterated reaction to it and by striking at it with thought and applied thought.
[The Counterpart Sign]

tassevaṃ karontassa anukkamena nīvaraṇāni vikkhambhanti,
 31. As he does so, the hindrances eventually become suppressed,
kilesā sannisīdanti,
 the defilements subside,
upacārasamādhinā cittaṃ samādhiyati,
 the mind becomes concentrated with access concentration,
paṭibhāganimittaṃ uppajjati.
 and the counterpart sign arises.

4.3 – asubha T&V as mental recitation

Vism 1, 6. asubhakammaṭṭhānaniddeso, uddhumātakakammaṭṭhānaṃ
rattiṭṭhāne ca divāṭhāne ca
 In his night quarters and in his day quarters
“uddhumātakapaṭikkūlaṃ uddhumātakapaṭikkūlan”ti
 he should keep his mind anchored there thus,
tattha punappunaṃ cittaṃ upanibandhitabbaṃ.
 “Repulsiveness of the bloated, repulsiveness of the bloated.”
punappunaṃ taṃ nimittaṃ āvajjitabbaṃ, manasikātabbaṃ.
 And he should advert to the sign, bring it to mind and
takkāhataṃ vitakkāhataṃ kātabbaṃ.
 strike at it with thought and applied thought over and over again.

4.4 – arupa infinite space T&V as mental recitation

Vism 1, 10. āruppaniddeso, paṭhamāruppavaṇṇanā
so taṃ kasiṇugghāṭimākāsanimittaṃ
 9. He adverts again and again to the sign of the space left by the removal of
“ākāso ākāso”ti punappunaṃ āvajjeti,
 the kasiṇa as “space, space,”
takkāhataṃ vitakkāhataṃ karoti.
 and strikes at it with thought and applied thought.
tassevaṃ punappunaṃ āvajjayato takkāhataṃ vitakkāhataṃ karoto
 As he adverts to it again and again and strikes at it with thought and applied thought,
nīvaraṇāni vikkhambhanti,
 the hindrances are suppressed,
sati santiṭṭhati,
 mindfulness is established
upacārena cittaṃ samādhiyati.
 and his mind becomes concentrated in access.
so taṃ nimittaṃ punappunaṃ āsevati, bhāveti, bahulīkaroti.
 He cultivates that sign again and again, develops and repeatedly practices it.

4.5 – arupa infinite consciousness T&V as mental recitation

Vism 1, 10. āruppaniddeso, viññāṇañcāyatanakathā
viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ santato manasikaritvā taṃ ākāsaṃ pharitvā pavattaviññāṇaṃ “viññāṇaṃ viññāṇan”ti punappunaṃ āvajjitabbaṃ, manasikātabbaṃ, paccavekkhitabbaṃ, takkāhataṃ vitakkāhataṃ kātabbaṃ.
 he should give his attention to the base consisting of boundless consciousness as peaceful, adverting again and again as “consciousness, consciousness” to the consciousness that occurred pervading that space [as its object]. He should give it attention, review it, and strike at it with applied and sustained thought ...

4.6 – arupa nothingness T&V as mental recitation

Vism 1, 10. āruppaniddeso, ākiñcaññāyatanakathā
taṃ viññāṇaṃ amanasikaritvā “natthi natthī”ti vā, “suññaṃ suññan”ti vā, “vivittaṃ vivittan”ti vā punappunaṃ āvajjitabbaṃ, manasikātabbaṃ, paccavekkhitabbaṃ, takkāhataṃ vitakkāhataṃ kātabbaṃ.
 33. Without giving [further] attention to that consciousness, he should [now] advert again and again in this way, “there is not, there is not,” or “void, void,” or “secluded, secluded,” and give his attention to it, review it, and strike at it with thought and applied thought.

4.7 – arupa #8 T&V as mental recitation

Vism 1, 10. āruppaniddeso, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanakathā
nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṃ santato manasikaritvā “sāva abhāvaṃ ārammaṇaṃ katvā pavattitā ākiñcaññāyatanasamāpatti santā santā”ti punappunaṃ āvajjitabbā, manasikātabbā, paccavekkhitabbā, takkāhatā vitakkāhatā kātabbā.
 He should advert again and again to that attainment of the base consisting of nothingness that has occurred making non-existence its object, adverting to it as “peaceful, peaceful,” and he should give his attention to it, review it and strike at it with thought and applied thought.

4.8 – Vibhanga Atthakatha explaining why V&V drops out in 2nd jhāna

Some more details are given in Vibhanga Atthakatha:

Abhidhamma Piṭaka, vibhaṅgapāḷi, 7. satipaṭṭhānavibhaṅgo, 1. suttantabhājanīyaṃ, 1. kāyānupassanāniddeso
Tattha kesādīnaṃ vaṇṇasaṇṭhānadisokāsaparicchedavasena upaṭṭhānaṃ uggahanimittaṃ, sabbākārato paṭikūlavasena upaṭṭhānaṃ paṭibhāganimittaṃ. Taṃ punappunaṃ āvajjentassa manasikarontassa takkāhataṃ vitakkāhataṃ karontassa cattāro khandhā paṭikūlārammaṇā honti, paṭhamajjhānavasena appanā pavattati. Pubbabhāge parikammaupacāracittāni savitakkasavicārāni sappītikāni somanassasahagatāni paṭikūlanimittārammaṇāni; appanāpi savitakkasavicārā sappītikā somanassasahagatāva. Bhūmantarena pana mahaggatā rūpāvacarā honti. Paṭikkūlepi ca etasmiṃ ārammaṇe ānisaṃsadassāvitāya somanassaṃ uppajjati, ekattārammaṇabaleneva vā taṃ uppajjati. Dutiyajjhānādīni panettha na nibbattanti. Kasmā? Oḷārikattā. Idañhi ārammaṇaṃ oḷārikaṃ. Vitakkabalenevettha cittekaggatā jāyati, na vitakkasamatikkamenāti. Ayaṃ tāva samathavasena kammaṭṭhānakathā.
 It is said that through repeated advertence, and "stiking by vitakka", at either the 32 parts of the body (kesādīnaṃ), or repulsiveness (paṭikūla), first jhāna is attained. However, such approach does not lead to second and further jhānas (Dutiyajjhānādīni panettha na nibbattanti) due to the coarseness of object-support (ārammaṇaṃ oḷārikaṃ).
Tattha appanāya pāpitakālato paṭṭhāya sesakoṭṭhāsesu akilamantova appanaṃ pāpessati. Tasmā ‘paṭikūlaṃ paṭikūlan’ti punappunaṃ āvajjitabbaṃ samannāharitabbaṃ, takkāhataṃ vitakkāhataṃ kātabbaṃ. Evaṃ karontassa cattāro khandhā paṭikūlārammaṇā honti, appanaṃ pāpuṇāti. Pubbabhāgacittāni parikammaupacārasaṅkhātāni savitakkasavicārānīti sabbaṃ heṭṭhā vuttasadisameva. Ekaṃ pana koṭṭhāsaṃ manasikarontassa ekameva paṭhamajjhānaṃ nibbattati. Pāṭiyekkaṃ manasikarontassa dvattiṃsa paṭhamajjhānāni nibbattanti. Hatthe gahitapañhāvatthu pākatikameva.
 This passage and the Visuddhimagga description tell that essentially vitakka starts as verbal repetition of the name(s) of object-support, i.e. "earth, earth", "air, air". And these passages explain why such approach does not lead to second jhāna and further.

4.9 – Even 3rd jhāna can be triggered with vitakka as mental recitation

152. When he has emerged from the second jhāna happiness appears gross to him as he reviews the jhāna factors with mindfulness and full awareness, while bliss and unification appear peaceful.
Then as he brings that same sign to mind as
“earth, earth”
again and again with the purpose of abandoning the gross factor and obtaining the peaceful factors, [knowing] “now the third jhāna will arise,” there arises in him mind-door adverting with that same earth kasiṇa as its object, interrupting the life-continuum. After that, either four or five impulsions impel on that same object, the last one of which is an impulsion of the fine-material sphere belonging to the third jhāna.

6 – Non Buddhist vitakka & vicāra

6.1 – Jhāna/dhyāna in Mahābhārata and classical yoga philosophy

Workshop “Vision and Visuality in Buddhism and Beyond”, University of Zürich, November 25, 2016
On the Meaning of jhāna and dhyāna “Meditation” in
Early Buddhism, the
Mokṣadharmaparvan of the Mahābhārata and in
Classical Yoga Philosophy
Philipp A. Maas, University of Leipzig


https://archive.org/details/Lucid24VitakkaAndVicara/On_the_Meaning_of_jhana_and_dhyana_Medit.pdf
https://www.academia.edu/30127734/On_the_Meaning_of_jh%C4%81na_and_dhy%C4%81na_Meditation_in_Early_Buddhism_the_Mok%E1%B9%A3adharmaparvan_of_the_Mah%C4%81bh%C4%81rata_and_in_Classical_Yoga_Philosophy?email_work_card=title


3. The meanings of Sanskrit dhyāna in the Mokṣadharmaparvan of the Mahābhārata

Mahābhārata 12.188.1–15 (Bhīṣma addresses Yudhiṣṭhira):

(Mahābhārata is one of 2 major texts in Hinduism)
https://sacred-texts.com/hin/mbs/mbs12188.htm
hanta vakṣyāmi te pārtha dhyānayogaṃ caturvidham /
 Truly, o King, I shall explain to you the fourfold dhyāna-yoga.
yaṃ jñātvā śāśvatīṃ siddhiṃ gacchanti paramarṣayaḥ // 1
 When the highest Ṛṣis have comprehended it, they attain eternal success.
yathā svanuṣṭhitaṃ dhyānaṃ tathā kurvanti yoginaḥ /
 The yogis, the great Ṛṣis, who enjoy comprehension and whose minds are directed towards Nirvāṇa,
maharṣayo jñānatṛptā nirvāṇagatamānasāḥ // 2 …
 practice it the way in which it is properly performed.
anirvedo gatakleśo gatatandrīr amatsaraḥ /
 The knower of dhyāna-yoga, without disgust, free from afflictions, free from laziness and free from desire,
samādadhyāt punaś ceto dhyānena dhyānayogavit // 14
 should repeatedly let his mind enter (samādhi) absorption by means of dhyāna.
vicāraś ca vitarkaś ca vivekaś copajāyate /
 Initially, during the first dhyāna, while the sage enters (samādhi) absorption,
muneḥ samādadhānasya prathamaṃ dhyānam āditaḥ // 15
 he attains thinking, evaluation and separation.

time line

480 BCE: Birth of the Buddha
400 BCE: Pari-nibbāna of the Buddha

wikipedia: The bulk of the Mahābhārata was probably compiled between the 3rd century BCE and the 3rd century CE,
with the oldest preserved parts not much older than around 400 BCE.
The text probably reached its final form by the early Gupta period ( c. 4th century CE).

6.2 – The meanings of Sanskrit dhyāna in the Pātañjala-yoga-śāstra

vitarka-vicārā-nandāsmitārūpānugamāt saṃprajñātaḥ (sūtra 1.17).
 [Absorption (samādhi)] is conscious [of an object], because it involves [awareness] through thinking, evaluation, joy, and in the form of individuality (YS I.17).
vitarkaś cittasyālambane sthūla ābhogaḥ.
 ‘Thinking’ is the mental capacity’s gross investigation of an object.
sūkṣmo vicāraḥ.
 The subtle investigation is ‘evaluation.’
ānando hlādaḥ.
 ‘Joy’ is gladness.
ekarūpātmikā saṃvid asmitā.
 Consciousness having a single form is ‘individuality.’
tatra prathamaś catuṣṭayānugataḥ samādhiḥ savitarkaḥ.
 Of these [four], the first absorption, which involves all four [kinds of consciousness content], involves thought.
dvitīyo vitarkavikalaḥ savicāraḥ.
 The second, which is devoid of thought, involves evaluation.
tṛtīyo vicāravikalaḥ sānandaḥ.
 The third, which is devoid of evaluation, involves joy.
caturthas tadvikalo ’smitāmātraḥ.
 The fourth, which is devoid of this [joy], is individuality only.
sarva ete sālambanāḥ samādha-yaḥ (Pātañjalayogaśāstra 1.17)
 All these absorptions have an object.

Dating Pātañjalayogaśāstra: anywhere from 500 BCE to 3 CE

(could be older than Buddha)
Philipp A. Maas assessed Patañjali's Pātañjalayogaśāstra's date to be about 400 CE,
based on synchronisms between its arguments and those of Vasubandhu, on tracing the history of the commentaries on it published in the first millennium CE,
on the opinions of earlier Sanskrit commentators,
on the testimony of manuscript colophons and on a review of extant literature.
[14][15] This dating for the Pātañjalayogaśāstra was proposed as early as 1914 by Woods[16] and has been accepted widely by academic scholars of the history of Indian philosophical thought.

Edwin Bryant, on the other hand, surveyed the major commentators in his translation of the Yoga Sūtras.
[19] He observed that "Most scholars date the text shortly after the turn of the Common Era (circa first to second century), but that it has been placed as early as several centuries before that."
[20] Bryant concluded that "A number of scholars have dated the Yoga Sūtras as late as the fourth or fifth century CE, but these arguments have all been challenged.
... All such arguments [for a late date] are problematic."

Michele Desmarais summarized a wide variety of dates assigned to Yogasutra, ranging from 500 BCE to 3rd century CE, noting that there is a paucity of evidence for any certainty.
She stated the text may have been composed at an earlier date given conflicting theories on how to date it, but latter dates are more commonly accepted by scholars.


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