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Vitarka

Vitarka is a term from Sanskrit that is used in Hindu and Buddhist contexts to denote discussion, reasoning, or thinking. In Buddhist philosophy, vitarka often refers to the initial, discursive application of thought directed toward a object of contemplation, and it is commonly contrasted with vicara, which denotes sustained attention or contemplation. In Theravada Abhidhamma and early jhana theory, vitakka and vicara are considered mental factors that accompany the first jhāna, along with rapture (pīti), happiness (sukha), and one-pointedness (ekaggata); these initial factors are understood to fade as concentration deepens into higher jhānas.

Vitarka also appears in Buddhist iconography as a mudra, the Vitarka Mudra, which is the gesture of

In broader Buddhist literature, vitarka is often encountered in discussions of epistemology and practice, where it

teaching
and
discussion.
In
this
gesture,
the
tip
of
the
thumb
and
index
finger
touch
to
form
a
circle,
while
the
other
fingers
extend
upward.
The
mudra
symbolizes
the
transmission
of
knowledge,
intellectual
discourse,
and
the
turning
of
the
wheel
of
Dharma.
It
is
commonly
depicted
in
statues
and
thangkas
of
the
Buddha
and
other
teachers
and
is
found
across
various
Buddhist
traditions,
including
Indian,
Southeast
Asian,
and
Tibetan
art.
denotes
the
process
of
conceptual
engagement
with
a
teaching
or
object.
While
its
specific
meanings
can
vary
by
school,
the
core
sense
remains
the
same:
discursive
thought,
argument,
or
the
act
of
teaching
and
communicating
Dharma.