I was carefully studying SN 47.8, which contains the simile of the skillful & unskillful cook is used to show how learning the sign (nimitta), leads to obtaining pleasant abiding here and now, which is a code phrase for the first 3 jhānas (AN 6.29), or all 4 jhānas (AN 4.41).
From the simile its clear V&V (vitakka & vicara) is doing much more than V&V-SKF (samatha kung fu), that is, the mind is glued to a white patch of light and sticking to it to enter a frozen type of samādhi as defined in Vism. For the cook to be skillful, he obviously has to do way more than just forcefully following a recipe. He has to observe how the king is reacting, and remember thing, note what things to not do, what things he still needs to do to adjust the book recipe. Vism. definition of V&V clearly would not be sufficient to do all that.
But one thing that puzzled me, is the pali words V&V never actually appear in that sutta SN 47.8. But this is a recurring pattern. In SN 47.10 also, the word nimitta is used, where V&V clearly would be involved, but the words V&V don’t appear in SN 47.10.
Similarly, in MN 20, which deals with 5 ways to stop unwanted thoughts (vitakka), those 5 methods use “nimittas” that you want to learn, while avoiding [wrong] “nimittas” which lead to 5 hindrances taking over with unwanted thinking (vitakka). But the words V&V don’t actually appear in MN 20 in associating with the “good” nimittas that lead to samādhi, even though for first jhana attainment we know the words V&V explicitly appear in the first jhana formula.
So, looking at the pattern, we can see the significance of the word ‘nimitta’ in the context of samādhi, not just 4sp and 4pdh, but attaining 4 jhānas. I believe I figured out the precise reason(s) for introducing the term “nimitta”. By using the word nimitta, it allows the generality of referring to either kusala V&V being the active force that the supresses akusala V&V for first jhāna, and then for 2nd to 4th jhāna, S&S (sati and sampajano) would take over that role in an energetically efficient and non-verbal supressing of hindrances that threaten to break through. So by using the word nimitta, it can apply to all four jhānas, whereas if the buddha has used V&V instead of nimitta, it would limit the application to first jhana only.
But why introduce the word “nimitta” instead of the existing keyword 4sp (satipatthana) which would fit all four jhanas?
Because nimitta, in the context of samadhi, is a “sign”. An important sign that needs to alert us to an important decision, that needs to be made quickly and wisely. The sign could be one of grave danger, as in the case of guarding the sense doors (AN 4.14). E.g. “cakkhuna rupam disva, na nimitta-g-gahi hoti…”. With the eye, forms he sees, he does not grab on to that sign … which would lead to greed and distress and other akusla dhamma.
In the case of SN 47.8, SN 47.10, MN 20, nimitta gets used both as a dangerous sign, and a good sign that leads to the destruction/supression of the results that would have resulted from following the dangerous sign.
While “cause”, “reason”, are legitimate and reasonable translations for nimitta in the context of samadhi, I still think “sign” is the best translation that retains the generality and flexibility.
Just like a stop sign, a green light, and red light, or all important traffic “signs”. If you run a red light nimitta, or run through a stop sign nimitta, very bad things are going to happen. If you know your signs, you know what the proper response to each type of “nimitta”, what the EBT calls learning the nimitta, you can get into jhana. If you don’t figure out the appropriate correct response to each type of nimitta, you don’t get jhana.
“yo so, mahānāma, ariyasāvako āgataphalo viññātasāsano, so iminā vihārena bahulaṃ viharati. VAR idha, mahānāma, ariyasāvako tathāgataṃ anussarati — ‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavā’ti. yasmiṃ, mahānāma, samaye ariyasāvako tathāgataṃ anussarati nevassa tasmiṃ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti; ujugatamevassa tasmiṃ samaye cittaṃ hoti tathāgataṃ ārabbha. ujugatacitto kho pana, mahānāma, ariyasāvako labhati atthavedaṃ, labhati dhammavedaṃ, labhati dhammūpasaṃhitaṃ pāmojjaṃ. pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṃ vediyati, sukhino cittaṃ samādhiyati. ayaṃ vuccati, mahānāma — ‘ariyasāvako visamagatāya pajāya samappatto viharati, sabyāpajjāya pajāya abyāpajjo viharati, dhammasotaṃ samāpanno buddhānussatiṃ bhāveti’”.