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vitakkavicārānaṁ

vitakka-vicāra

genitive plural of the compound vitakka-vicāra (literally "applied thought and sustained thought"); here agreeing with a neuter plural noun

1. applied thought (initial attention to an object)
2. sustained thought (continuous dwelling on it)
3. (in the context of jhāna) the first two factors present in the first meditative absorption

Built from

• vi — prefix · apart, asunder
  Prefix intensifying mental clarity and directedness; here sharpens the sense of thinking in different directions.
• takka — stem · thought, cognition
  Nominal stem meaning thought or conceptual thinking, derived from √takk-.
• vi — prefix · apart, asunder
  Again intensifying; here marks the sustained examination going in multiple directions.
• cāra — stem · movement, going
  Nominal stem derived from √car- (to move, walk), so vicāra is thought 'moving around' the object, sustained examination.
• aṁ — ending · genitive plural
  Pali genitive plural ending marking possession or agreement with a plural noun.

Analysis. vitakka (from vi + takka, "thought thrown out in different directions") + vicāra (from vi + cāra, "examination going around the object"); together they denote the initial directing and sustained probing of the mind toward a meditation object, the first two jhāna-factors paired as a compound.

Etymology. Both components use vi- (apart, asunder, intensive clarity). takka derives from the root √takk- (to think, to cognize). cāra derives from √car- (to move, walk), so vicāra is literally "moving around", scrutiny. In doctrinal usage, vitakka and vicāra represent coarse and subtle grades of mental engagement; they fall away in the second jhāna when the mind becomes steadier.

Meanings from the Digital Pāḷi Dictionary; morphology and etymology by Claude.

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