Where does Vitakka and Vicara fitting to Dependent Origination?
Is that after contact (Phasso)?
If you do not have Vitakka and Vicara, will there be vedana?
According to this chart which cites MN18 vitakka vicÄra are conditioned by vedanÄ.
In the context of DO, they fit into the āNameā from āName&formā
Does this mean there is no Vedana in second Jhana? (ie: free from Vitakka and Vicara)
Vitakka and vicara is fitting into to Dependent Origination at sankhara (2nd condition).
The sankhara is defined as the kaya, vaci & citta sankhara (SN 12.2).
Katamekatama, bhikkhave, saį¹ khÄrÄ? Tayome, bhikkhave, saį¹ khÄrÄākÄyasaį¹ khÄro, vacÄ«saį¹ khÄro, cittasaį¹ khÄro. Ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, saį¹ khÄrÄ.
The āvaci sankharaā is defined as āvitakka and vicaraā (in MN 44).
AssÄsapassÄsÄassÄsa kho, Ävuso visÄkha, kÄyasaį¹ khÄro, vitakkavicÄrÄ vacÄ«saį¹ khÄro, saĆ±Ć±Ä ca vedanÄ ca cittasaį¹ khÄro
The common translation of āvolitional formationsā is obviously a mistake.
When distracting thoughts (such as described in MN 20 VitakkaĀsaį¹į¹hÄna Sutta) pop into the mind (nama) when meditating, these are the vitakka & vicara produced unvolitionally from ignorance.
As for the vitakka & vicara of jhana, if it is not tainted by ignorance, it does not arise at sankhara.
The vitakka & vicara of jhana, if it is not tainted by ignorance & if arising from the noble eightfold path, is not related to dependent origination because dependent origination is called the āwrong pathā (refer to SN 12.3).