Korean Journal of Buddhist Studies ISSN:1598-0642(Print) 불교학연구

Theusages of vitakka have both positive and negative aspects in Nikāyas. This concept, vitakka, contains our general thinking such as delusion, reasoning. Furthermore, it does not only cover the process of meditative practice but also the wisdom which comes from this meditative practice. In this paper, I say that we can understand the variousexamples of vitakkacoherently when we focus on vacīsaṅkhāra, its linguistic function.Through the illumination of vitakka, I try to show an unique aspect of the buddhist practical theory. Vitakka always appears in the Nikāyas which is related with vipassanā practice. And it functions constantly in the first jhāna, that is, the lowest stage of samatha. Therefore we can say that the concept of vitakka becomes the basis of the theory that samatha and vipassanā can be practiced at the same time. As a result, I come to the conclusion that it is possible to insight the truth even in the lowest stage of samatha or the concentration.