ptisukha, sukha  etc.  to the objects  to be

　　　　　　  known.

　　　　　　 3) The  characteristics  of  jhanic  experience

　　　　　　  state  are  simultaneously   present.It   is

　　　　　　  obvious  that there can be only one knowable

　　　　　　  element   in  the  jhanic   state  that  the

　　　　　　  meditator  can be aware of during the series

　　　　　　  of moments that constitutes  the duration of

　　　　　　  a jhana.The  other  elements  in the  jhanic

　　　　　　  state belong to the aspect of knowing.

　　　　 We may start with the discussion  of the terms  of

　　   vitakka  and vicara in the expression  "savitakkam

　　   savicaram", the practice  or non-practice  of which is

　　   related to the attainments  of the first jhana and the

　　   second  jhana  respectively.Vasubandhu( 注 25 ) takes

　　   "vitakka"  and "vicara"  as two types of thoughts  and

　　   defines "vitakka" as a mental conversation (manojalpa)

　　   of  enquiry  (paryesako)  which  is  characterised  by

　　   either volition ( cetana ) or discernment (prajna),

　　   and   constitutes   the   grossness   of  mind.Vicara,

　　   according   to  him,  is  a  mental  conversation   of

　　   judgement  (pratyaveksaka)   characterised  by  either

　　   volition  or discernment.This  view  of Vasubandhu  is

　　   similar  to that  of the ancient  masters.(  注 26)

　　   Thus vitakka  and vicara can appear  only successively

　　   and not simultaneously. Vasubandhu, therefore, pointed

　　   out that the first  jhana has only four parts  and not

　　   five parts, viz.  piti, sukha, samadhi plus vitakka or

　　   vicara.(注   27)

　　　　  From the point of view of the Parama-ditthadhamma

　　   -nibbanavadins samadhi is not of primary importance,

　　   so  it  is  not  explicitly  mentioned  in  the  jhana

　　   formula.And  we cannot simply drop either  the vitakka

　　   or the vicara; both these

　　   ──────────

　　 (25) Vasubandhu in the Prakaranapada  states: vitarkah

　　　　 katamah / paryes ako manojalpas'  cetanaprajna-  ?

　　　　   visesah/ya cittsyauda rikata // vicarah  katamah

　　　　   /pratyaveksako manojalpas cetanaprajnavisesah /

　　　　   ya  cittsyasuksmata //Abhidharmakosabhasyam,

　　　　   Louis  de La Valle  poussin, English tranaslation