Reference Home Page

Main Metres in the Pàëi Canon

compiled by

ânandajoti Bhikkhu
(July 2008)

PDF (6 pages, 54 KB)

For more information on the metres see my Outline of the Metres in the Pàëi Canon,
and for a comprehensive list of metres used in Pàëi (all periods) see my Metre Tables.

2.3 Siloka (øloka, aka Vaktra [=Vatta])

Here is an analysis of the pathyà (normal) structure of the Siloka, which has 8 syllables to the line:

In the 2nd & 3rd positions two successive shorts ÛÛ are normally avoided, as we can see through changes that have been made in syllabic length. However, there appear to be texts (e.g. Dhammapada) in which this rule is not always applied.

In the odd lines 7 variations (vipulà) occur, besides the normal structure, they are:

There is normally a caesura (word break) after the fifth syllable in the 3rd vipulà, and after the fourth syllable in the 4th vipulà.

2.6 Tuññhubha (Triùñubh), & Jagatã

Tuññhubha normally has 11 syllables to the line, and is defined thus:

É Ü Å Ü Ð Å Û Å Ð Ü Û Ü é    x 4

Jagatã is similar, but has an extra short syllable in penultimate position, giving a line of 12 syllables, thus:

É Ü Å Ü Ð Å Û Å Ð Ü Û Ü Û é    x 4

An extended form may be produced by a line having a caesura (word break) at the 5th syllable, and restarting from the same syllable, giving the line:

Occasionally replacement takes place, whereby two short syllables are presumed in the 6th & 7th positions, and replaced by one long one. The line then has one syllable less than expected:

2.8 Upajàti, Vaüsaññhà (Vaüèasthà), and Rucirà

These are the fixed metres in the canon that have been derived from Tuññhubha and Jagatã, their profile looks like this:

i) Upajàti (from Tuññhubha):

Å Ü Û Ü Ð Ü Û Û Ð Ü Û Ü é    x 4

ii) Vaüsaññhà (from Jagatã):

Å Ü Û Ü Ð Ü Û Û Ð Ü Û Ü Û é    x 4

iii) Rucirà (from Jagatã, with resolution of the 5th syllable, giving a 13 syllable line):

Å Ü Û Ü Ð Û Û Û Û Ð Ü Û Ü Û é   x 4

2.10 Vetàlãya (Vaitàlãya) and Opacchandasaka (Aupacchandasaka)

The first of these metres, Vetàlãya, has 14 measures in the odd lines, and 16 in the even, with the cadence at the end of each line being Ü Û Ü Û é.

Opacchandasaka, the second of the metres, has 16 measures in the odd lines, and 18 in the even. The cadence is similar to Vetàlãya, but with an extra long syllable in penultimate position Ü Û Ü Û Ü é.

The most common forms of the odd lines are:

The most common forms of the even lines:

with occasional resolution of a long syllable giving rise to other patterns in the opening.

Through syncopation of syllables in adjacent groups we occasionally find different patterns in the openings, so that sometimes

2.12 Rathoddhatà and Pupphitaggà (Puùpitàgrà)

These are the two fixed metres derived from the above.

Rathoddhatà (a Vetàlãya even pàda):

¼ Û Ü Û Û Û Ð Ü Û Ü Û é    x 4

Similarly Pupphitaggà (from Opacchandasaka) in the canon is still somewhat flexible:

È È Û Û Ð Ü Û Ü Û Ü é

È È Ü Û Û Ð Ü Û Ü Û Ü é    x 2

with occasional resolution of a long syllable elsewhere. In its post-canonical form the opening of the first line was fixed as Û Û Û Û Û Û and the second as Û Û Û Û.

2.13 âpàtalikà

This metre has 14 measures in the odd lines, and 16 in the even, as with Vetàlãya, but with a different cadence: Ü Û Û Ü é.

In the canon the most common forms of the odd lines:

the even lines:

when it attains to its classical form, it is then known as Vegavatã, and is restricted to:

2.14 Svàgatà

In the canon this metre has two dissimilar lines repeated to make up a verse, and the structure was still quite fluid:

Svàgatà odd lines:

Svàgatà even lines:

In the later period however the even line is fixed and repeated four times, so that the structure is then defined as:

Ü Û Ü Û È Ð Ü Û Û Ü Å   x 4

2.16 Old Gãti

There are two structures to the metre: the first is the normal form; the second is an extended form, which after the line break, restarts with a full gaõa, thus:

Normal structure:

É Ü Ð Ú Ð È Ü Ð Å, Ü Å Ð È Ü Ð Ú Ð È Ü Ð Å   x 2

Extended structure:

É Ü Ð Ú Ð È Ü Ð Å, È Ü Ð È Ü Ð Ú Ð È Ü Ð Å   x 2

Resolution occasionally produces different patterns e.g. ÜÜ > ÛÛÜ

replacement sometimes produces different patterns e.g. ÛÛÜ > ÜÜ

but ÜÛÛ is very rarely found in any gaõa.

2.17 Gãti, Ariyà (âryà), and their derivatives

In the gaõacchandas metres in the Pàli canon, there are two structures to the line, they are:

Gaõacchandas 1st line:

È Ü Ð Ú Ð È Ü Ð Ú Ð È Ü Ð Ú Ð È Ü Ð Å

Gaõacchandas 2nd line:

È Ü Ð Ú Ð È Ü Ð Ú Ð È Ü Ð    Û    Ð È Ü Ð Å

The only difference between the two lines lies in the 6th gaõa.

Ariyà, which is the most common metre in this class, has the first line described above followed by the second, this gives a mattà count of 30 + 27.

Gãti has the first line repeated to make up a verse, mattà = 30 + 30.

Uggãti has the second line followed by the first, mattà = 27 + 30.

Upagãti has the second line repeated, mattà = 27 + 27.

2.19 Hypermetres, Veóha & Gubbinã

The structure of both of these gaõacchandas hypermetres is similar and can be defined as follows:

Veóha is restricted to compounds, while Gubbinã is not.

2.20 The fixed metres: Akkharacchandas type 2 (Akùaracchandas)
aka Vutta (VÔtta).

Pamitakkharà (from gaõacchandas):

È Ü Ð Û Ü Û Ð Û Û Ü Ð Û Û Å    x 4

Upaññhità:

Ü Ü Û Û Ü Û Û Ü Û Å    x 4

Dodhaka (a Vegavatã even line repeated):

Ü Û Û Ü Û Û Ð Ü Û Û Ü Å    x 4

Aparavatta, which is derived from Vetàlãya, shows the following structure:

Û Û Û Û Û Û Ð Ü Û Ü Û Å

Û Û Û Û Ü Û Û Ð Ü Û Ü Û Å    x 2

Upaññhitappacupita:

There are normally word-breaks after the 8th syllable in the 1st line; 5th syllable in the 3rd line; and 7th syllable in the 4th line.

Uggatà (from gaõacchandas):