Vitakka

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Vitakka (Pāli) or Vitarka (Sanskrit), both in hinduist yoga and Buddhist meditation , means the action of taking care of any object : God, one's body, the Self, a color, any sensation...

It refers to attention in a different way than cognitive neuroscience, implying a very strong leading of attention, as it leads to more mental process : vicāra, pīti, sukha and ekaggatā.

Vitakka is the first element to appear in meditation's process, still present in the first Jhana, but absent of any further Jhana.

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