Vitakka, applied thinking or initial thinking, and vicara, sustained thinking or sustained application, are two cetasikas among the "particulars" (1 See also Dhammasangani 7 and 8.) , We believe that we know what thinking is, We think of what we have seen, heard, smelt, tasted or experienced through the bodysense, or we think of ideas and concepts. We build up long stories of what we experienced and we cling to thinking. In order to know the realities of vitakka and vicara we should not be misled by the conventional term 'thinking". Through the study of the Abhidhamma and the commentaries we can acquire a more precise knowledge of realities . 

     The Visuddhimagga ( IV,88) defines vitakka as follows:

... Herein, applied thinking (vitakkama) is applied thought (vitakka); hitting upon, is what is meant. It has the characteristic of directing the mind onto an object (mounting the mind on its object). Its function is to strike at and thresh- for the mediator (2 The Visuddhimagga deals with vitakka in the section on samatha. The meditator is someone who cultivates samatha.) is said, in virtue of it, to have the object touched and struck at by applied thought. It is manifested as the leading of the mind onto an object...

     In order to know more about vitakka, we should learn which cittas are accompanied by vitakka. We may think that vitakka accompanies only cittas arising in a mind-door process, but this is not so. Vitakka arises in sense-door processes as well as in mind-door processes. Vitakka accompanies all kamkavacara cittas (cittas of the sense-sphere), except the dvi-pancavinnanas (the five pairs which are seeing, hearing, etc.).

     We may wonder why vitakka does not arise with the dvi-pancavinnanas. When seeing arises it performs the function of seeing, it sees visible object and it does not need vitakka in order to see. The other cittas of the eye-door process need vitakka in order to experience visible object, they do not see. The eye-door adverting-consciousness does not see, it adverts to visible object and it needs vitakka which directs it to visible object. It is the same with the other cittas of that process. As regards the other sense-door processes, the dvi-pancavinnanas do not need vitakka in order to experience the object, but all the other cittas of these processes have to be accompanied by vitakka. All cittas of the mind-door process are accompanied by vitakka.

     Vitakka accompanies not only cittas arising in processes, it also accompanies cittas which do not arise in processes: the patisandhi-citta (rebirth-consciousness), the bhavanga-citta (life-continuum) and the cuti-citta (dying-consciousness).

     When vitakka accompanies kusala citta, vitakka is also kusala, and when it accompanies akusala citta it is also akusala. When we are not applying ourselves to kusala, we act, speak or think with akusala citta and thus the accompanying vitakka is also akusala. It is not often that we are performing acts of generosity, that we apply ourselves to sila (good moral conduct) or to bhavana (mental development). There are many more akusala cittas in our life than kusala cittas and thus akusala vitakka is bound to arise very often. When we are attached to a pleasant object there is akusala vitakka which "touches" that object. Or when there is even a slight feeling of annoyance when things are not the way we want them to be, there is sure to be dosa-mula-citta and this is accompanied by akusala vitakka which performs its function.

     There are three kinds of akusala vitakka which are mentioned in particular in the suttas. They are: 

     thought of sense-pleasures (kama-vitakka) 
     thought of malevolence (vyapada-vitakka)
     thought of harming (vihimsa-vitakka )

We read in the "Discourse on the Twofold Thought" (Middle Length sayings I, 19) that the Buddha, while he was still a Bodhisatta, considered both akusala vitakka and kusala vitakka. We read that when the thought of sense-pleasures arose, he comprehended thus:

... "This thought of sense-pleasures has arisen in me. but it conduces to self-hurt and it conduces to the hurt of others and it conduces to the hurt of both, it is destructive of intuitive wisdom, associated with distress, not conducive to nibbana." But while I was reflecting, "It conduces to self-hurt", it subsided: and while I was reflecting, ''It conduces to the hurt of others", it subsided: and while I was reflecting. "It is destructive of intuitive wisdom, it is associated with distress, it is not conducive to nibbana", it subsided. So I, monks, kept on getting rid of the thought of sense-pleasures as it constantly arose, I kept on driving it out, I kept on making an end of it... "

....Monks, according to whatever a monk ponders and reflects on much, his mind in consequence gets a bias that way. Monks, if a monk ponder and reflect much on thought of sense-pleasures he ejects thought of renunciation; if he makes much of the thought of sense-pleasures, his mind inclines to the thought of sense-pleasures. Monks, if a monk ponder and reflect much on the thought of malevolence... he ejects the thought of non-malevolence.., his mind inclines to the thought of malevolence. Monks, if a monk ponder and reflect much on the thought of harming, he ejects the thought of non-harming; if he makes much of the thought of harming, his mind inclines to the thought of harming...

the thought of renunciation (nekkhamma)
the thought of non-malevolence (avyapada)
the thought of non-harming (avihimsa)

....Monks, if a monk ponder and reflect much on the thought of renunciation he ejects the thought of sense-pleasures: if he makes much of the thought of renunciation, his mind inclines to the thought of renunciation. Monks, if a monk ponder and reflect much on the thought of non-malevolence he ejects the thought of malevolence... Monks, if a monk ponder and reflect much on the thought of non-harming, he ejects the thought of harming; if he makes much of the thought of non-harming his mind inclines to the thought of non-harming...

     There are many degrees of nekkhamma and not only monks should cultivate it, but laypeople as well. Actually, all kusala dhamma are nekkhamma (1 Vibhanga, Book of Analysis, 3, Analysis of the Elements, 182.), when we perform dana, observe sila or apply ourselves to mental development, we are at such moments not absorbed in sense-pleasures, there is renunciation. We can experience that when there is loving kindness or compassion we do not think of ourselves; thus, there is a degree of detachment. If we see the disadvantages of being selfish, of thinking of our own pleasure and comfort, there are more conditions for being attentive to others, Detachment from the concept of self is still a higher degree of renunciation which can be achieved through the development of right understanding of realities. Both monks and laypeople should cultivate this kind of renunciation, when the concept of self has been eradicated, stinginess has been eradicated as well, and thus, there are more conditions for generosity. Moreover, sila will be purer, there will be no more conditions for transgressing the five precepts. 
 

Vicara
     Vicara can be translated as sustained thinking, discursive thinking or sustained application. We read in the Visuddhimagga (IV,88) the following definition:

... Sustained thinking (vicarana) is sustained thought (vicara); continued sustenance (anusancarana), 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).

     Vicara is not the same reality as vitakka, Vitakka directs the citta to the object and vicara keeps the citta occupied with the object, "anchored" on it. However, we should remember that both vitakka and vicara perform their functions only for the duration of one citta and then fall away immediately, together with the citta. Both the Visuddhimagga and the Atthasalini use similes in order to explain the difference between vitakka and vicara, Vitakka is gross and vicara is more subtle. We read in the Visuddhimagga ( IV, 89) :

....Applied thought (Vitakka) is the first compact of the mind in the sense that it is both gross and inceptive, like the striking of a bell. Sustained thought (vicara) 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..

    Another simile the Visuddhimagga and the Atthasalini use is the following: vitakka is like the bee's diving towards a lotus and vicara is like the bee's gyrating around the lotus after it has dived towards it.

     Like vitakka, vicara arises with all kamavacara cittas, cittas of the sense-sphere, except the dvi-pancavinnanas (the sense-cognitions of seeing, hearing, etc). When seeing-consciousness, for example, arises, it does not need vitakka nor does it need vicara, because seeing-consciousness just sees. The other cittas of the eye-door process need vitakka which directs them to visible object and they need vicara which keeps them occupied with visible object. It is the same in the case of the other sense-door processes. Vitakka and vicara arise in sense-door processes as well as in mind-door processes, and they also accompany cittas which do not arise in processes (1 For details about the cittas accompanied by vitakka and vicaca, see Appendix 3.).

     Vitakka and vicara are conditioned dhammas, sankhara dhammas, which arise and fall away together with the citta they accompany. They perform their functions only during an extremely short moment, namely the duration of one citta. Their object can be a pararmattha dhamma or a concept. We may wonder how vitakka and vicara perform their functions while we are engaged with the thinking of "stories". It seems that thinking can last for a while, but in reality there are many cittas accompanied by vitakka and vicara and other cetasikas, which arise and fall away, succeeding one another. It is because of sanna, remembrance, that we can remember the previous thought and that there can be connection of different thoughts.

     Both vitakka and vicara are jhana-factors which can be developed in samatha, tranquil meditation. The jhana-factors are sobhana (beautiful) cetasikas which are developed in order to inhibit the 'hindrances', defilements which obstruct the attainment of jhana, absorption. Vitakka which is developed in samatha "thinks" of the meditation subject and it inhibits the hindrances which are sloth and torpor (thina and middha). The Visuddhimagga states in the definition of vitakka IV, 88): 

"... for the meditator is said, in virtue of it, to hove the abject struck at by applied thought, threshed by applied thought..."

     As regards the jhana-factor vicara which is developed in samatha this keeps the citta "anchored on" the meditation subject and inhibits the hindrance which is doubt. As we have seen, in the case of kamavacara cittas, both vitakka and vicara arise together when they accompany the citta. In the case of jhanacittas however a distinction has to be made. In the first stage of jhana both vitakka and vicara are needed in order to experience the meditation subject with absorption. Thus, both vitakka and vicara accompany the rupavacara kusala citta, the rupavacara vitakacitta and the rupavacara kiriyacitta of the first stage of jhana (1 Abhidhamma in Daily, Chapter 22. The rupavacara vipakacitta is the result of the rupavacara kusala citta. The rupavacara kiriyacitta is the citta of the arahat who attains jhana.). In the second stage of jhana one has acquired more skill in jhana and vitakka is no longer needed in order to experience the meditation subject with absorption. At that stage vitakka has been abandoned, but vicara still arises. In the subsequent stage of jhana, which is more tranquil and more refined, also vicara has been abandoned; it is no longer needed in order to experience the mediation subject with absorption. Some people have abandoned both vitakka and vicara in the second stage of jhana and thus for them there are only four stages of rupa-jhana instead of five. That is why the stages of jhana can be counted in accordance with the four-fold system or the five-fold system.

     When we consider the jhana-factors vitakka and vicara we may be able to understand that vitakka is more gross than vicara. Vitakka is needed in the first stage of jhana but it is abandoned in. the second stage of jhana which is more tranquil and more refined. Vicara which is more subtle than vitakka still accompanies the jhanacitta of the second stage of jhana. The person who has accumulated conditions to attain jhana must be able to distinguish between different jhana-factors such as vitakka and vicara and this is most intricate. This shows us how difficult it is to develop calm to the degree of jhana.

     The more we study the realities which are taught in the Abhidhamma, the more we see that there are many different phenomena which each have their own characteristic. They appear one at a time, but when we try to name them there is thinking of a concept instead of mindfulness of a characteristic. Sometimes a reality which thinks may appear and then we may doubt whether it is vitakka or vicara. It is useless to try to find out which reality appears because at such a moment there is no awareness. Thinking has a characteristic which can be realized when it appears and then there is no need to name it vitakka or vicara. 

     There is another aspect of vitakka I want to mention. Vitakka is one of the factors of the eightfold Path and as such it is called: samma-sankappa, right thinking. Samma-sankappa has to arise together with samma-ditthi, right understanding, in order to be a factor of the eightfold Path (1 The factors of the eightfold Path are: right understanding (see chapter 34), right thinking, right speech, right action and right livelihood (for the last three see Chapter 32), right effort see (Chapter 10). right mindfulness (see chapter 26) and right concentration (see Chapter 61). These factors perform each their specific function so that the goal can ce attained: the eradication of defilements. The reader will also come across the term insight or vipassana and satipatthana. The development of vipassana, the development of satipatthana or the development of the eightfold Path, it all amounts to the development of right understanding of nama and rupa, of ultimate realities. When a realities appears through one of the six doors there can be a moment of investigation of its characteristic: it can be seen as a nama or a rupa, not a person, not a thing. That is the beginning of understanding of its true nature of non-self. At such a moment there is also mindfulness, non-forgetfulness of the reality appearing at the present moment.). When there is right understanding of a nama or rupa which appears, there are both vitakka and vicara accompanying the citta, but vicara is not a factor of the eightfold Path. Samma-sankappa has its specific function as path-factor. Samma-sankappa "touches" the nama or rupa which appears so that samma-ditthi can investigate its characteristic in order to understand it as it is. Thus, samma-ditthi needs the assistance of samma-sankappa in order to develop. In the beginning, when panna has not been developed, there cannot yet be clear understanding of the difference between the characteristic of nama and of rupa. When, for example, sound appears, there is also hearing, the reality which experiences sound, but it is difficult to know the difference between the characteristic of sound and the characteristic of hearing, between rupa and nama. Only one reality at a time can be object of mindfulness and when they seem to "appear" together it is evident that there is not right mindfulness. only when there is right mindfulness of one reality at a time right understanding can develop. At that moment samma-sankappa performs its function of "touching" the object of mindfulness. 

     When there is samma-sankappa there is no akusala vitakka, wrong thinking; there is no "thought of sense-pleasures", no "thought of malice ", no " thought of harming". When the eightfold Path is being developed the four noble Truths will be known and "unprofitable thoughts" will eventually be eradicated. We read in the "Kindred Sayings" (V, Maha-vagga, Book XII, Chapter I,@7, thoughts) that the Buddha, while he was at Savatthi, said to the monks:

Monks, think not evil. unprofitable thoughts, such as: thoughts of lust, thoughts of hatred, thoughts of delusion. Why do I say so? 
   Because, monks. these thoughts are not concerned with profit, they are not the rudiments of the holy life, they conduce not to revulsion, to dispassion, to cessation, to tranquillity, to full understanding, to the perfect wisdom, they conduce not to nibbana. ' 
   When you do think monks, you should think thus: This is dukkha. This is the arising of dukkha. This is the ceasing of dukkha. This is the practice that leads to the ceasing of dukkha. Why do I say this?
   Because, monks, these thoughts are concerned with profit, they are rudiments of the holy life... they conduce to nibbana. .
   Wherefore an effort must be made to realize: This is dukkha. This is the arising of dukkha. This is the ceasing of dukkha. This is the practice that leads to the ceasing of dukkha.