What is the difference between a Vipassana Jhana and a Samatha Jhana? Definitions of the term Jhana tend to emphasize the 'mind state' quality it refers to in various states of meditative absorption:

The jhanas are altered states of consciousness which are produced from periods of strong concentration. Dhamma Wiki
In Buddhism, it is a series of cultivated states of mind, which lead to &quot;state of perfect equanimity and awareness (upekkhii-sati-piirisuddhl).&quot; Wikipedia

So in the context of Samatha (concentration) meditation, Jhana states naturally arise as a consequence of concentration. What I'm struggling to understand is the term 'Vipassana Jhana'. Is it a state of mind that arises from insight or a state of mind conducive to insight?
There is no samatha jhana nor is there vipassana jhana mentioned in the suttas, I may have missed it!
There are the 4 rupa jhanas mentioned with each containing various jhana factors and 4 arupa jhanas.
IMHO, the distinction is made to rationalise some meditation practices which dispense with the development of jhanas as a necessary step.

Vipassanā jhanas are stages that describe the development of &quot;vipassanā&quot;meditation practice as described in modern Burmese Vipassana meditation.[31]
 Mahasi Sayadaw
's student Sayadaw U Pandita
 describes the four &quot;vipassanā jhanas&quot;.

Origins

In the sutta pitaka the term &quot;vipassanā&quot; is hardly mentioned:
If you look directly at the Pali discourses — the earliest extant sources for our knowledge of the Buddha's teachings — you'll find that although they do use the word samatha to mean tranquillity, and vipassanā to mean clear-seeing, they otherwise confirm none of the received wisdom about these terms. Only rarely do they make use of the word vipassanā — a sharp contrast to their frequent use of the word jhana. When they depict the Buddha telling his disciples to go meditate, they never quote him as saying &quot;go do vipassanā,&quot; but always &quot;go do jhana.&quot; And they never equate the word vipassanā with any mindfulness techniques.[8]