28:null 29:["$","title",null,{"children":"Pali Chanting Parsing & Metre Algorithm | Cittadhammo | Observable"}] 2c:{"id":"206146fbfbab9914","slug":null,"title":"Pali Chanting Parsing & Metre Algorithm","thumbnail":"8cf7d47f4b9963baf95e4c5434c9585d89b0f1831ab67c93d285a9c93521d031","access_level":"public","create_time":"$D2025-07-03T14:26:40.031Z","update_time":"$D2025-07-04T05:03:14.243Z","view_time":null,"first_public_time":"$D2025-07-03T17:15:02.097Z","fork":false,"stars":0,"starred":false,"owner":{"type":"team","id":"d277e65fbd31f04d","login":"cittadhammo","name":"Cittadhammo","avatar_url":"https://avatars-next.observableusercontent.com/e3cb3f2eef03b628da9dd1e938902c82ffb474c2adb36b34ce7ffd562d9f2158","tier":"starter_2024"},"version":270,"publish_version":null,"role":null,"authored":false,"authors":[{"type":"individual","id":"7722371e7ecac8bd","login":"cittadhammo","name":"Cittadhammo","avatar_url":"https://avatars-next.observableusercontent.com/e3cb3f2eef03b628da9dd1e938902c82ffb474c2adb36b34ce7ffd562d9f2158","tier":null}],"editors":[{"type":"individual","id":"7722371e7ecac8bd","login":"cittadhammo","name":"Cittadhammo","avatar_url":"https://avatars-next.observableusercontent.com/e3cb3f2eef03b628da9dd1e938902c82ffb474c2adb36b34ce7ffd562d9f2158","tier":null},{"type":"team","id":"d277e65fbd31f04d","login":"cittadhammo","name":"Cittadhammo","avatar_url":"https://avatars-next.observableusercontent.com/e3cb3f2eef03b628da9dd1e938902c82ffb474c2adb36b34ce7ffd562d9f2158","tier":"starter_2024"}],"comments":[],"trashed":false,"subscribed":null,"forks":1,"collection":{"id":"1eef0231a669c9e1","slug":"other-version","title":"Other Version","owner":{"id":"d277e65fbd31f04d","login":"cittadhammo","name":"Cittadhammo"}},"type":"notebook"} 2f:Ta65,# Pali Chanting Parsing & Metre Algorithm The parsing rules used in this notebook follow the book [An Outline of the Metres in the Pāḷi Canon](https://ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Textual-Studies/Outline/index.htm) by Ānandajoti Bhikkhu where: - **"`^`"** indicates a **light** syllable ("⏑" is used in the reference book) - **"`-`"** indicates a **heavy** syllable (twice the weight of a light one, "−" is used) - **"`x`"** indicates a **forced heavy** syllable (see [preface to the 3rd edition](https://ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Textual-Studies/Outline/index.htm#ThirdEdition) in the book, where the sybol "×" is used) **Main metres**: You can find a list of [Main Metres in the Pāḷi Canon ](https://ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Textual-Studies/Grammar/Main-Metres.htm) online and try to identify the metres, like: _Siloka_ (2x 8 syllables), _Tuṭṭhubha_ (12) & _Jagatī_ (13),_ Old Gīti_ (Karaniya Metta Sutta) and _Hypermetres_ (Itipi so...) **Note**: You can find the metre name with [this online tool](https://ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Textual-Studies/Metre-Tables/Tables-Filter.htm) by copying the glyph sequence at the end of the line of the _Block Output_. You can look up the name of the verse on google and have more clue about it! For example, the _Bāhuṁ_ chant, is identifed as "Vasantatilakā" that has a article on [wisdomlib.org](https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vasantatilaka). You can also find a poem in sanskrit chanted by Sanju Baral on [soundclound](https://soundcloud.com/sanju-baral/sanskrit-iii-srimanti-sadguna-vasantatilaka) with that metre! **Sources for pali chant**: - A good source reference for pali chanting is the markdown files from the Bikkhu Manual available on github, for example the [paritta](https://github.com/bhikkhu-manual/bhikkhu-manual/blob/master/manuscript/markdown/chants/parittas.md#bahum), the [suttas](https://github.com/bhikkhu-manual/bhikkhu-manual/blob/master/manuscript/markdown/chants/suttas.md) or the [patimokkha chants](https://github.com/bhikkhu-manual/bhikkhu-manual/blob/master/manuscript/markdown/chants/patimokkha-chants.md) - The [Digital Pali Reader](https://www.digitalpalireader.online/_dprhtml/index.html?loc=k.0.m) can give you the variation of the pali that might help to fit the metre for some verses. - [SuttaCentral](https://suttacentral.net/snp1.8/pli/ms?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none¬es=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin) has the root text as well. [Source code](https://observablehq.com/d/206146fbfbab9914) for this notebook ## Generating Parsing and Metric **Copy/paste** your input text in the field below to see the results!30:T10c6,{ const original = chant.replaceAll("-", "").replaceAll("'", "") || bahum.replaceAll("-", "").replaceAll("'", ""); const lower = original.toLowerCase(); const digraphs = ["k", "c", "ṭ", "t", "p", "g", "j", "ḍ", "d", "b"]; const vowels = ["a", "i", "u", "e", "ā", "ī", "ū", "o"]; const short = ["a", "i", "u"]; const consonants = [ "k", "c", "ṭ", "t", "p", "kh", "ch", "ṭh", "th", "ph", "gh", "jh", "ḍh", "dh", "bh", "g", "j", "ḍ", "d", "b", "ṅ", "ñ", "ṇ", "n", "m", "h", "y", "r", "l", "v", "ś", "ṣ", "s" ]; const chars = [...lower]; const originalChars = [...original]; // Step 1: Match digraphs and preserve original case const phonemes = []; for (let i = 0; i < chars.length; i++) { const c = chars[i]; const o = originalChars[i]; const n = chars[i + 1]; const on = originalChars[i + 1]; if (digraphs.includes(c) && n === "h") { phonemes.push({ text: o + on, lower: c + n }); i++; } else { phonemes.push({ text: o, lower: c }); } } // Step 2: Build tokens (syllables and separators) const tokens = []; let syllable = ""; for (let i = 0; i < phonemes.length; i++) { const { text: c, lower: cl } = phonemes[i]; const next = phonemes[i + 1] || {}; const next2 = phonemes[i + 2] || {}; const isVowel = vowels.includes(cl); const isConsonant = consonants.includes(cl); if (!isVowel && !isConsonant) { if (syllable) tokens.push({ type: "syllable", text: syllable }); syllable = ""; tokens.push({ type: "sep", text: c }); continue; } if (isVowel) { syllable += c; if (next.lower === "ṁ" || next.lower === "ṃ") { syllable += next.text; i++; } else if ( next.lower === "m" && !consonants.includes(next2.lower) && !vowels.includes(next2.lower) ) { syllable += next.text; i++; } else if ( consonants.includes(next.lower) && consonants.includes(next2.lower) ) { syllable += next.text; i++; } tokens.push({ type: "syllable", text: syllable }); syllable = ""; continue; } if (isConsonant) { syllable += c; continue; } } if (syllable) tokens.push({ type: "syllable", text: syllable }); // Step 3: Build syllableLine (preserving hyphens within words) let syllableLine = ""; for (let i = 0; i < tokens.length; i++) { const t = tokens[i]; if (t.type === "syllable") { if (i > 0 && tokens[i - 1].type === "syllable") syllableLine += "-"; syllableLine += t.text; } else { syllableLine += t.text; } } if (!parsing) syllableLine = ""; // Step 4: Build rhythmLine with optional heavy endings and sequence line let lines = []; let currentLine = []; for (let i = 0; i < tokens.length; i++) { const t = tokens[i]; if (t.type === "syllable") { const lastChar = t.text.slice(-1).toLowerCase(); const mark = short.includes(lastChar) ? "^" : "-"; currentLine.push({ mark, type: "syllable" }); } else if (t.text === "\n") { lines.push(currentLine); currentLine = []; } } if (currentLine.length > 0) lines.push(currentLine); // Final formatting with sequence string const rhythmLines = lines.map((line) => { const syllables = line.filter((e) => e.type === "syllable"); if (syllables.length === 0) return ""; if (endHeavy && syllables.length > 0) { const lastIndex = line.lastIndexOf(syllables[syllables.length - 1]); line[lastIndex].mark = "x"; } const rhythm = line.map((e) => e.mark).join(" "); const count = scount ? " (" + syllables.length + ")" : ""; const seq = sequence ? " (" + line .filter((e) => e.type === "syllable") .map((e) => (e.mark === "^" ? "⏑" : "−")) .join("") + ")" : ""; return rhythm + count + seq; }); const finalRhythmLine = rhythmLines.join("\n"); return md`**Block Output (with syllable counts & glyph sequence) **\n\`\`\`\n${syllableLine}\n\n${finalRhythmLine}\n\`\`\``; }31:Tfba,{ const original = chant.replaceAll("-", "").replaceAll("'", "") || bahum.replaceAll("-", "").replaceAll("'", ""); const lines = original.split("\n"); const digraphs = ["k", "c", "ṭ", "t", "p", "g", "j", "ḍ", "d", "b"]; const vowels = ["a", "i", "u", "e", "ā", "ī", "ū", "o"]; const short = ["a", "i", "u"]; const consonants = [ "k", "c", "ṭ", "t", "p", "kh", "ch", "ṭh", "th", "ph", "gh", "jh", "ḍh", "dh", "bh", "g", "j", "ḍ", "d", "b", "ṅ", "ñ", "ṇ", "n", "m", "h", "y", "r", "l", "v", "ś", "ṣ", "s" ]; function tokenize(line) { const lower = line.toLowerCase(); const chars = [...lower]; const originalChars = [...line]; const phonemes = []; for (let i = 0; i < chars.length; i++) { const c = chars[i]; const o = originalChars[i]; const n = chars[i + 1]; const on = originalChars[i + 1]; if (digraphs.includes(c) && n === "h") { phonemes.push({ text: o + on, lower: c + n }); i++; } else { phonemes.push({ text: o, lower: c }); } } const tokens = []; let syllable = ""; for (let i = 0; i < phonemes.length; i++) { const { text: c, lower: cl } = phonemes[i]; const next = phonemes[i + 1] || {}; const next2 = phonemes[i + 2] || {}; const isVowel = vowels.includes(cl); const isConsonant = consonants.includes(cl); if (!isVowel && !isConsonant) { if (syllable) tokens.push({ type: "syllable", text: syllable }); syllable = ""; tokens.push({ type: "sep", text: c }); continue; } if (isVowel) { syllable += c; if (next.lower === "ṁ" || next.lower === "ṃ") { syllable += next.text; i++; } else if ( next.lower === "m" && !consonants.includes(next2.lower) && !vowels.includes(next2.lower) ) { syllable += next.text; i++; } else if ( consonants.includes(next.lower) && consonants.includes(next2.lower) ) { syllable += next.text; i++; } tokens.push({ type: "syllable", text: syllable }); syllable = ""; continue; } if (isConsonant) { syllable += c; continue; } } if (syllable) tokens.push({ type: "syllable", text: syllable }); return tokens; } const outputLines = lines.map((line) => { const tokens = tokenize(line); let syllableLine = ""; const rhythmArray = []; const rhythmPositions = []; for (let i = 0; i < tokens.length; i++) { const t = tokens[i]; if (t.type === "syllable") { if (i > 0 && tokens[i - 1].type === "syllable") { syllableLine += "-"; rhythmArray.push(" "); } const syllableStart = syllableLine.length; syllableLine += t.text; const syllableMid = Math.floor(t.text.length / 2); const rhythmChar = short.includes(t.text.slice(-1).toLowerCase()) ? "^" : "-"; for (let j = 0; j < t.text.length; j++) rhythmArray.push(" "); const pos = syllableStart + syllableMid; rhythmArray[pos] = rhythmChar; rhythmPositions.push(pos); } else { syllableLine += t.text; rhythmArray.push(...t.text.split("").map((_) => " ")); if (t.text === ",") { const last = rhythmArray.length - 1; rhythmArray[last] = ","; } } } // Handle endHeavy37858 if (endHeavy && rhythmPositions.length > 0) { const lastPos = rhythmPositions[rhythmPositions.length - 1]; rhythmArray[lastPos] = "x"; } const rhythmLine = rhythmArray.join(""); return `${syllableLine}\n${rhythmLine}`; }); return md`**Line-by-line Output**\n\`\`\`\n${outputLines.join("\n")}\n\`\`\``; }32:T5da,### Namo-kāra-aṭṭhaka Paritta Anuṭṭhubha Siloka, 4 lines of 8 syllables. ``` ^ - ^ ^ ^ - - x - - - ^ ^ - ^ x ^ - - ^ ^ - - x - - - - ^ - ^ x ^ - ^ - - - - x ^ - ^ - ^ - ^ x ^ - - - - - - x ^ - ^ - ^ - ^ x ``` ### Ratana-sutta Mixed Tuṭṭhubha/Jagatī of 11 or 12 syllables. ``` - - ^ - - ^ ^ - ^ - x - - ^ - - ^ ^ - ^ - x ^ - ^ - - ^ ^ - ^ - x ^ - ^ - - ^ ^ - ^ - x - - ^ - - ^ ^ - ^ - x ^ - ^ - - ^ ^ - ^ - x ^ - ^ - - ^ ^ - ^ - ^ x ^ - ^ - - ^ ^ - ^ - x ^ - ^ - - ^ ^ - ^ - x - - ^ - - ^ ^ - ^ - x - - ^ - - ^ ^ - ^ - ^ x ^ - ^ - - ^ ^ - ^ - x ^ - ^ - - ^ ^ - ^ - ^ x ^ - ^ - - ^ ^ - ^ - x - - ^ - - ^ ^ - ^ - x ``` ### Karaniya metta sutta Old Giti, formed of 7 bars of four measure each. with the pattern: ``` - - | ^ - ^ | - - | ^ - ^ | - - | ^ - ^ | ^ ^ - | x ``` starts: ``` _ - ^ - ^ _ - ^ - - - - ^ - ^ ^ ^ - x - - ^ - ^ _ - ^ ^ ^ - - ^ _ ^ ^ ^ - x - - ^ - ^ _ - ^ - ^ - - ^ - ^ ^ ^ - x - - ^ - ^ _ - ^ - ^ - - ^ - ^ ^ ^ ^ - x _ - - ^ - ^ - - ^ - ^ - - ^ - ^ ^ ^ - x _ - - - ^ - - ^ - - - - ^ - ^ ^ ^ - x - - ^ - ^ - - ^ ^ - - - ^ - - ^ ^ ^ - x - - - - ^ - - - - ^ - - ^ - ^ ^ ^ - x ``` Once you can identify the metre in a sutta, you can have more information on its place in time during the time of the Buddha or after his passing. See this [chapter](https://ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Textual-Studies/Outline/5-Outline.htm) for more information.33:[] 2d:{"title":"Pali Chanting Parsing & Metre Algorithm","cells":[{"id":0,"value":"$2f","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":5,"value":"viewof chant = Inputs.textarea({\n placeholder: bahum,\n rows: 6\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":47,"value":"viewof endHeavy = Inputs.toggle({\n label: \"Force end of verse as heavy\",\n value: true\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":188,"value":"viewof parsing = Inputs.toggle({\n label: \"Show parsed verses\",\n value: true\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":183,"value":"viewof scount = Inputs.toggle({\n label: \"Show syllable counts\",\n value: true\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":129,"value":"viewof sequence = Inputs.toggle({\n label: \"Show glyph sequence\",\n value: true\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":131,"value":"$30","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":39,"value":"$31","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":206,"value":"---\n\n## Examples\n\nOnce you have the _block output_ you can experiment to find out the pattern of the metre. I use underscore \"_\" to resolve \"^ ^\" as one heavy syllable. Often, you will need to make use of alternative reading or metri causa to fit the verse into a metre. ","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":202,"value":"$32","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":112,"value":"bahum = `Bāhuṁ sahassam-abhinimmita sāvudhan-taṁ\nGrīmekhalaṁ udita-ghora-sasena-māraṁ\nDān'ādi-dhamma-vidhinā jitavā mun'indo\nTan-tejasā bhavatu te jaya-maṅgalāni`","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":169,"value":"","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"html"}],"files":"$W33","stdlib":"1","titling":"auto"}