Exploring Traditional Pali Grammar 3
Kaccaayana suttas 3, 4, 5
The next three suttas (rules) define the terms for 'vowels', 'long'
(vowels) and 'short' (vowels) respectively. The vutti (explanation)
of each sutta also references another sutta in the grammar which
provides an example of the employment (payoga) of the defined term.
In the below, the text up until '/3/' is the sutta proper. The text
from 'tattha akkharesu... > lopa.m' is the vutti. The part of the
vutti from 'sara iccanena... > lopa.m' is (I believe) the payoga
(application). (thanks Jim)
It can be helpful to picture the traditional setting in which this
grammar would be learned. Pupils would be expected to memorize the
suttas, cryptic as they might be, as mnemonic aids for remembering
the vutti or explanation. They might not even be taught the vuttis
until they can recite all 675 of the rules (thanks Tadao). The vutti
'unpacks' the sutta and clarifies words which might be ambiguous or
cryptic in isolation. This is typical of the commentarial style. An
example of this, which occurs below, is how the vutti expands on the
word 'tattha' in Kc 3.
Every effort is made to compress the rules themselves into as concise
packets as possible, to aid memorization. Hence we'll also see how
the word 'tattha', which occurs in rule 3, is considered to continue
to apply in rules 4, and 5, as is revealed in the vutti. (though its
scope is more tightly restricted in 4 and 5, than in 3). Again, this
is a typical technique of this genre of writing.
In case anyone was wondering, the abbreviation Kc, means
'Kaccaayana'. Followed by a number it refers to a specific rule, out
of the 675 rules in total. For example, Kc 3, is sutta 3/675 in the
Kaccaayana grammar.
I'm continuing to provide very basic information within the notes to
assist beginners. I hope this doesn't try the patience of those who
know more. I also hope that those who know more than me, will
continue to help me out when I make errors or even slightly miss the
point.
Text:
tatthodanta saraa a.t.tha /3/
tattha akkharesu akaaraadiisu odantaa a.t.tha saraa naama honti /
ta.m yathaa a aa i ii u uu e o iti saraa naama / sara iccanena
kvattho / saraa sare lopa.m //
Translation:
Here, the eight which end with 'o' are vowels /1/
Here, among the syllables, in the (list) beginning with the sound
'a', the eight which end with 'o' are called vowels. The following:
a aa i ii u uu e o, are called vowels. What is the purpose of
(defining the term) 'vowel'? There is ellision of a vowel before a
vowel (Kc 12).
[end of translation]
Words:
a.t.t.ha: (the numeral) eight
anta: end, ending
odanta: 'o'-d-anta. 'having 'o' as it's end'. Ending with 'o'. The
-d- is just euphonic filler.
tattha: here, there, in this context, with regards to this
tatthodanta: tattha o-danta, tatth' odanta
naama: name, noun, 'by name'
lopa: ellision (when a letter is erased, as in loka + aggo > lok'
aggo, or tattha + odanta > tatth' odanta)
sara: vowel
Notes:
tattha: This word, meaning 'there' or 'here' is referring back to
the definition made in the preceding rule. So loosely it means, 'in
this context'. This is enough for the concise sutta, but in the
vutti, the exact sense of tattha is specified as meaning 'akkharesu'
in the syllables. In case that's not clear, akkharesu is further
specified as a-kaara-aadisu. What you have here is a case of a word
being glossed, or explicated, within a sentence. This can make
commentarial sentences a bit awkward to translate. It's as if
paranthetical insertions were being made, as in: The oliphaunt
(elephant) (heffalump) fell in the pit (ditch) (hole). Sometimes you
have to picture parentheses in a Pali sentence to get it to make
sense. This is especially true in the commentaries.
o-d-anta: The letter 'd' is optionally inserted between two vowels,
to prevent their juxtaposition. This is in accordance with Kc 35,
ya-va-ma-da-na-ta-ra-laa caagamo /35/ "And the (optional )insertion
(aagamo) of y, v, m, d, n, t, r, l.
By saying 'the eight (sounds) which end with 'o', I don't mean that
each sound individually ends with 'o'. It means that the whole list
ends with 'o'. Similarly, 'a-aadi' means the list which begins with
'a', not that each sound begins with 'a'. This is a question that
came up in an e-mail. Thanks!
saraa naama honti: 'Are vowels, by name'. This is a formula used
repeatedly for defining a term.
How is the 'payoga' rule being expressed? 'saraa sare lopa.m'. I
believe this is a technical use of the ablative and the locative
cases. I'm not completely sure, but I think it's working like this:
'Saraa' is ablative, and here means before a vowel, preceding a
vowel. Sare is in the locative, meaning 'in the case of a vowel'
'when there is a vowel'. There might be an alternate explanation, but
I'm putting that on hold for now.
Text, suttas 4 and 5. These are pretty similar to 3 above, so perhaps
you can translate them for yourself:
lahumattaa tayo rassaa /4/
tattha a.t.thasu saresu lahumattaa tayo rassaa naama honti / ta.m
yathaa a i u iti rassaa naama / rassa iccanena kvattho / rassa.m //
añña: other, aññe plural of añña. To express the idea 'other than X',
X is put in the ablative.
pañca: five
matta: by measure, metrical quantity
lahu: quick, light
lahumatta: having short (quick, light) metrical quantity
tayo: three
diigha: long
rassa: short
Notes:
Notice how 'tattha' is carried over in the vuttis, despite not
appearing explicitly in the suttas. Note also that its scope is
further restricted. Loosely speaking, rules 4 and 5 are subordinated
to rule 3, or rather, each later rule depends on the previous ones,
in order to define their terms. There will are many such chains of
dependence in Kc.
'Metrical quantity' refers to the alternation of light (lahu) and
heavy (garu) syllables in poetry. This is taken up in the last
chapter of Warder.