Main Metres in The Pàëi Canon: Ânandajoti Bhikkhu

Main Metres in the Pàëi Canon
compiled by
ânandajoti Bhikkhu
(July 2008)
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:
Odd (prior) line: ÉÅÅÅÐÛÜÜé
Even (posterior) line: ÉÅÅÅÐÛÜÛé x4
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:
a.k.a.
javipulà É ÅÅÅÐÛÜÛé Anuññhubha
navipulà É ÜÅÜÐÛÛÛé 1st vipulà
bhavipulà É ÜÅÜÐÜÛÛé 2nd vipulà
mavipulà É ÜÅÜÐÜÜÜé 3rd vipulà
ravipulà É ÅÅÅÐÜÛÜé 4th vipulà
savipulà É ÅÅÅÐÛÛÜé 5th vipulà
tavipulà É ÜÛÜÐÜÜÛé 6th vipulà (very sporodic)
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:
ÉÜÅÜÐÅÛÅÐÜÛÜé x4
Jagatã is similar, but has an extra short syllable in penultimate position, giving a line of 12
syllables, thus:
ÉÜÅÜÐÅÛÅÐÜÛÜÛé x4
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:
5&5
ÅÜÅÜÐ Ü, È ÛÅÐÜÛÜÛé
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:
6&7
Å Ü Å Ü Ð Ü, Ü ÐÜÛÜÛé
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) U p a j à t i (from Tuññhubha):
ÅÜÛÜÐÜÛÛÐÜÛÜé x4
ii) V a ü s a ñ ñ h à (from Jagatã):

ÅÜÛÜÐÜÛÛÐÜÛÜÛé x4
iii) R u c i r à (from Jagatã, with resolution of the 5th syllable, giving a 13 syllable line):
ÅÜÛÜÐÛÛÛÛÐÜÛÜÛé x4
2
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:
Ü Ü Û Û Ð Ü Û Ü Û (Ü) é
Û Û Ü Û Û Ð Ü Û Ü Û (Ü) é
Ü Û Û Ü Ð Ü Û Ü Û (Ü) é
The most common forms of the even lines:
Ü Ü Ü Û Û Ð Ü Û Ü Û (Ü) é
Û Û Ü Ü Û Û Ð Ü Û Ü Û (Ü) é
Ü Û Û Ü Û Û Ð Ü Û Ü Û (Ü) é
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
ÜÜÛÛ>ÜÛÜÛ
ÛÛÜÛÛ>ÛÜÛÛÛ
Û Û Ü Ü > Û Ü Û Ü etc.
2.12 Rathoddhatà and Pupphitaggà (Puùpitàgrà)

These are the two fixed metres derived from the above.
R a t h o d d h a t à (a Vetàlãya even pàda):

¼ÛÜÛÛÛÐÜÛÜÛé x4
Similarly P u p p h i t a g g à (from Opacchandasaka) in the canon is still somewhat flexible:

ÈÈÛÛÐÜÛÜÛÜé
ÈÈÜÛÛÐÜÛÜÛÜé x2
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.
3
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:
ÛÛÜÛÛÐÜÛÛÜé
ÜÜÛÛÐÜÛÛÜé
the even lines:

ÜÛÛÜÜÐÜÛÛÜé
ÜÛÛÜÛÛÐÜÛÛÜé
when it attains to its classical form, it is then known as Vegavatã, and is restricted to:
ÛÛÜÛÛÐÜÛÛÜé
ÜÛÛÜÛÛÐÜÛÛÜé x2
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:

ÜÛÜÛÐÜÜÈÅ
ÜÛÛÜÐÜÜÈÅ
Svàgatà even lines:

ÜÛÜÛÜÐÜÈÜÅ
ÜÛÛÜÜÐÜÈÜÅ
In the later period however the even line is fixed and repeated four times, so that the structure
is then defined as:
ÜÛÜÛÈÐÜÛÛÜÅ x4
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
In the 2nd and 6th gaõas the pattern ÈÜ sometimes occurs, but ÜÛÛ is very rare 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:

ÈÜÐÚÐÈÜÐÚÐÈÜÐÚÐÈÜÐÅ
Gaõacchandas 2nd line:

ÈÜÐÚÐÈÜÐÚÐÈÜÐ Û ÐÈÜÐÅ
Resolution occasionally produces different patterns e.g. ÜÜ > ÛÛÜ

Replacement sometimes produces different patterns e.g. ÛÜÛ > ÜÜ .
ÜÛÛ is very rarely found in any gaõa.
The only difference between the two lines lies in the 6th gaõa.
A r i y à , 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.
G ã t i has the first line repeated to make up a verse,
mattà = 30 + 30.
U g g ã t i has the second line followed by the first, mattà = 27 + 30.
U p a g ã t i 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:
Opening: Ú Ð ÈÈ Ð Ú
Middle: ÈÈ Ð Ú can be repeated
End: ÈÈ Ð Ú Ð ÜÅ
Veóha is restricted to compounds, while Gubbinã is not.
5
2.20 The fixed metres: Akkharacchandas type 2 (Akùaracchandas)

aka Vutta (VÔtta).
P a m i t a k k h a r à (from gaõacchandas):
ÈÜÐÛÜÛÐÛÛÜÐÛÛÅ x4
Upaññhità:
ÜÜÛÛÜÛÛÜÛÅ x4
D o d h a k a (a Vegavatã even line repeated):

ÜÛÛÜÛÛÐÜÛÛÜÅ x4
A p a r a v a t t a , which is derived from Vetàlãya, shows the following structure:

ÛÛÛÛÛÛÐÜÛÜÛÅ
ÛÛÛÛÜÛÛÐÜÛÜÛÅ x2
Upaññhitappacupita:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
ÈÜÜÛÛÜÛÜÛÜÛÛÜÅ
ÈÜÈÛÛÜÛÜÛÜÅ
ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÅ
ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÜÛÛÜÅ
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.
U g g a t à (from gaõacchandas):
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
ÛÛÜÛÜÛÛÛÜÅ
ÛÛÛÛÛÜÛÜÛÅ
ÈÛÛÛÛÛÛÜÛÛÜ
ÛÛÜÛÜÛÛÛÜÛÜÛÅ

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Main Metres in the Pàëi Canon

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

Odd (prior) line: ÉÅÅÅÐÛÜÜé

Even (posterior) line: ÉÅÅÅÐÛÜÛé x4

2.6 Tuññhubha (Triùñubh), & Jagatã

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

2.8 Upajàti, Vaüsaññhà (Vaüèasthà), and Rucirà

ii) V a ü s a ñ ñ h à (from Jagatã):

2.10 Vetàlãya (Vaitàlãya) and Opacchandasaka (Aupacchandasaka)

The most common forms of the odd lines are:

The most common forms of the even lines:

2.12 Rathoddhatà and Pupphitaggà (Puùpitàgrà)

R a t h o d d h a t à (a Vetàlãya even pàda):

Similarly P u p p h i t a g g à (from Opacchandasaka) in the canon is still somewhat flexible:

the even lines:

Svàgatà odd lines:

Svàgatà even lines:

2.16 Old Gãti

2.17 Gãti, Ariyà (âryà), and their derivatives

Gaõacchandas 1st line:

Gaõacchandas 2nd line:

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

2.19 Hypermetres, Veóha & Gubbinã

Middle: ÈÈ Ð Ú can be repeated

Veóha is restricted to compounds, while Gubbinã is not.

2.20 The fixed metres: Akkharacchandas type 2 (Akùaracchandas)

D o d h a k a (a Vegavatã even line repeated):

A p a r a v a t t a , which is derived from Vetàlãya, shows the following structure:

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