Sati , Sampanjana , Manasikara , Vitakka

[asahi]

Hi Pali teachers ,

Sati is recollection (mostly translated as mindfulness)
Sampanjana is clear understanding
Manasikara is directed attention
Vitakka is directed thought


It seems when explaining many took Sati as Sampanjana .
It appears Manasikara resemble Vitakka .

Please explain with example how they differs .

[mjaviem]

Careful attention is the nutriment for mindfulness and clear comprehension

... And what is the nutriment for mindfulness and clear comprehension? It should be said: (7) careful attention...
... Ko cāhāro satisampajaññassa? ‘Yonisomanasikāro’tissa vacanīyaṁ...

So careful attention leads to recollection of the dhamma.

[auto]

Vitakka applies the citta and its concomitants onto the senseobject.
As the king’s favorite courtier introduces someone to
the king, likewise vitakka introduces the citta and its concomitants
to the object.
As explained above, manasikàra directs the citta and its
concomitants to the object whereas vitakka applies them onto
the object.

difference is that one directs and other introduces. Word play is that the vitakka is what introduces and the term directed thought might refer to manasikara.

other translator and commenter,

It is that
which directs the concomitant states towards the object.
(ârammanaü vitakketi sampayuttadhamme abhiniropetã’
ti vitakko).

Vitakka is an unmoral mental state which, when associated
with a Kusala or Akusala Citta, becomes either moral
or immoral. A developed form of this Vitakka is found in the
first Jhàna consciousness.

still more developed form of
Vitakka is found in the Path-consciousness (Magga Citta) as
Sammà-Saïkappa (Right thoughts). The Vitakka of the Pathconsciousness
directs the mental states towards Nibbàna and
destroys Micchà (wrong or evil) Vitakka such as thoughts of
sense-desire (Kàma), thoughts of hatred (Vyàpàda), and
thoughts of cruelty (Vihiüsà).

8. Manasikàra—
The literal meaning of the term is ‘making in the mind’
Turning the mind towards the object is the chief
characteristic of Manasikàra.
Manasikàra
should be distinguished from Vitakka which is to follow.
The former directs its concomitants to the object,
while the latter applies or throws (pakkhipanto viya) them
on the object. Vitakka is like a favourite courtier that introduces
a villager (mind) into the presence of a king (object).

Manasikara does the directing, vitakka is what applies. So if to translate vitakka as applied thought it would still mean the manasikara directing.

As a side note, about kusala and akusala citta it looks like when as a result vitakka becomes either of them then vitakka is akusala at default. Which is that in case of jhana the vitakka seclusion from akusala dhamma refers both kusala and akusala.

[asahi]

.....

In the first jhana , vitakka is mentioned not manasikara .

[auto]

.....

In the first jhana , vitakka is mentioned not manasikara .

Mind is fixed onto an object already, it doesn't need manasikara. Albeit manasikara can assail with sensual pleasure(kama) if concentration is weak type, like access concentration.