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Khuddakapàñha

A Comparative Edition
& Metrical Analysis

by

ânandajoti Bhikkhu

    

Introduction    TheText    The Metre    The Establishment of the Text

1: Saraõagamanaü

2: Dasasikkhàpadaü    

3: Dvattiüsàkàraü

4: Kumàrapa¤haü

5: Maïgalasuttaü

6: Ratanasuttaü

7: Tirokuóóasuttaü

8: Nidhikaõóasuttaü

9: Mettasuttaü

Translation

 

 

Introduction

Khuddakapàñha, as its name may suggest, is the smallest book in the Pàli Tipiñaka. It stands as the first book in the 5th collection of the Suttapiñika, the Khuddakanikàya. The title would seem to mean that it is a Small (collection of) Texts, which would at least accurately describe it's contents, as it consists of only 9 short pieces. It would perhaps be what we would designate in English as a handbook. A handbook, of course, is usually designed to meet a particular need, and there seems to be good ground to believe that this book has been collected with just such a need in mind.

It has been suggested elsewhere 1 that the book may be a kind of handbook for novices, though it seems to the present writer that it would be more correctly described as a handbook for candidates who are waiting to become novices. As can be seen, it begins with the Saraõagamanaü and the Dasasikkhàpadaü, which are undertaken at the time of ordination. This is followed by the reflection on the 32 parts of the body, which is a meditation traditionally given to those who ordain as their first `place of work' (kammaññhàna) at the time they are having their heads shorn just prior to ordination. The Kumàrapa¤haü, is represented in the commentary as being one particular boy's ordination, and it may have been used as a kind of basic questionaire, to make sure that candidates had at least some idea of the central tenets of the doctrine. This is followed by a group of 5 popular (mainly) verse suttas that are commonly used in recital, that would have to be memorised by novices.

It seems likely then that the texts gathered here would possibly, at the time of making the collection, have been learnt by heart by everyone who aspired to be ordained into the order. We may mention here that a similar requirement was at one time laid down by the Sinhalese king Kassapa V2 when he ordered that all those who take upasampadà, or higher ordination, must first have memorised the Catubhàõavàrapàli, a collection of texts used in recital at Parittaü ceremonies to this day. It will be noted that that collection reproduces most of the texts in Khp, and indeed the latter looks very much like a smaller version of the larger collection.

 

The Text

A new edition of the text is not hard to justify. Childer's first edition of the text in Roman script was originally published in 1869,3 when the scholarly study of the language and the metre in the West was still in its infancy. This was reproduced verbatim by Helmer Smith in his 1915 edition of the text & commentary (PTS), to which he adds as an appendix the readings found in the King of Siam's edition. Since that time we have had the Burmese Chaññha Sangàyana edition of 1955, and the Sinhalese Buddha Jayanti edition of 1960, which give us many new readings to compare. Here is a list of the authorities consulted in preparing this new edition along with the abbreviations that are used in the variant readings:

BJT: Khuddakapàñhapàëi. Buddha Jayanti Tripitika Series, volume XXIV. Colombo 1960.

PTS: The Khuddaka-Pàñha. together with its commentary Paramatthajotikà I. Edited by Helmer Smith, (PTS Text Series No 52) originally published London, 1915. Reprinted London, 1978.

Thai: Khuddakapàñho. The Royal Thai Edition, volume 25. Originally published 2469 (i.e 1915). Reprinted Bangkok, 2500 (i.e 1956).

ChS: Khuddakapàñhapàëi. Chaññha Sangàyana Edition, 1956, reprinted Rangoon 1972.

Nearly all of the texts occur elsewhere in the canon, though not always exactly as they are found here. Here is a list of their occurence with notes on the variations:

1    Saraõagamanaü (Vinaya Mahàvagga 1)

Mahàvagga: no title

2    Dasasikkhàpadaü (Vinaya Mahàvagga 1)

Mahàvagga: no title, omits the word samàdiyàmi at the end of each precept

3    Dvàttiüs'-âkàraü (D.22 and elsewhere)

In the suttas matthake mattha-lungaü is omitted from the end of the reflection.

4    Kumàrapa¤haü

Not found in this form in the suttas, but cf. the Mahàpa¤hàsuttas of Anguttaranikàya (PTS vol v. 50 ff)

5    Mangalasuttaü (Sn 2:4)

In Sn the title is Mahàmangalasuttaü

6    Ratanasuttaü (Sn 2:1)

7    Tirokuóóasuttaü (Pv 1.5)

Title as TirokuóóapetaVatthu

8    Nidhikaõóasuttaü (not found elsewhere)

9    Mettasuttaü (Sn 1:8)

 

 

The Metre

In recent times we have gained much knowledge in regard to the correct form of the metres that are used in Pàli metrical composition, which is due mainly to the labours of Helmer Smith, A. K. Warder and K. R. Norman. In establishing a verse text it is, of course, essential that the parametres of the prosody are understood.

As I have stated elsewhere 4 it seems possible to identify three phases of canonical Pàli verse composition, which for convenience we may designate the early, the middle, and the late. 5 Briefly, the early period concerns the two main metres used in Pàli, the Vatta and the Tuññhubha. The Vatta in the early period is characterised by the regular inclusion of the Anuññhubha variation in the prior lines. In the middle and late periods this occurs only sporadically (and can nearly always be `corrected' to the pathyà, or normal cadence, which makes one believe that the current readings may simply be corruptions). In the late period the pathyà predominates over the other variations to a marked degree, sometimes reaching as much as 85% 6.

The Tuññhubha in the early period is normally used as an independent metre, without admixture of Jagatã lines, which occur only very occasionally. 7 In the middle period mixing is not only common, but normal. In the later period, the Tuññhubha becomes restricted to the classical Upajàti form, and Jagatã to Vaüsaññhà.

The middle period also saw the emergence of the so-called new metres, the mattàchandas and gaõacchandas. In Mettasuttaü, which appears as the last of the texts in this collection, we are dealing with what is probably a transitional metre between these two, the Old Gãti. 8 The structure of the metre is rather primitive and unsettled, as will be seen from the description that follows. Towards the close of the later period both of these type of metres were superceded by their classical, fixed, counterparts.

On the basis of this description we can fairly confidently 9 ascribe the Managlasuttaü, Ratanasuttaü, and Mettasuttaü to the middle period; while the Tirokuóóasuttaü and the Nidhikaõóasuttaü belong to the late period.

The conventions used in this paper are as follows:

Sarabhatti (partial vowels which do not count metrically) are represented by the sarabhatti vowel being written in superscript e.g. from Mangalasuttaü (10a): Tapo ca brahma-cariya¤~ca.

In the analysis of the metre:

1 = short syllable; 2 = long syllable; 3 = short or long; 4 = 2 shorts or one long; 5 = 2 shorts or one long or one short.

Resolved syllables are underlined e.g. from Nidhikaõóasuttam (15ab):

                11212|1221 || 2121|1212            pathyà
Pañisambhidà, vimokkhà ca, Þ yà ca sàvaka-pàramã,

As in the above example the variation (where appropriate) has been identified and indicated. 10

The analysis of the metres in the text is based on the following description:

1: Vatta (Mangalasuttaü, Tirokuóóasuttaü, Nidhikaõóasuttaü)

Here is an analysis of the pathyà (normal) structure of the Vatta:

 

 

1

2

3

4

 

5

6

7

8

 

Odd line:

 

5

3

3

3

|

1

2

2

3

 

 

 

1

2

3

4

 

5

6

7

8

 

Even line:

 

5

3

3

3

|

1

2

1

3

 

x2

In the 2nd & 3rd positions two short syllables are normally avoided.

In the first half of the line 7 variations (vipulà) occur, besides the normal structure, they are:

 

 

 

1

2

3

4

 

5

6

7

8

 

Anuññhubha

 

5

3

3

3

|

1

2

1

3

 

1st vipulà

 

5

2

3

2

|

1

1

1

3

 

2nd vipulà

 

5

2

3

2

|

2

1

1

3

 

3rd vipulà

 

5

2

1

2

|

2

2

2

3

 

4th vipulà

 

5

3

3

3

|

2

1

2

3

 

5th vipulà

 

5

3

3

3

|

1

1

2

3

 
 

6th vipulà

 

5

2

1

2

|

2

2

1

3

(very sporadic)

 

2: Tuññhubha-jagatã (Ratanasuttaü)

 

1

2

3

4

 

5

6

7

 

8

9

10

(11)

11 or 12

 

 

 

5

2

7

2

|

3

1

i

|

2

1

2

(1)

3

 

x4

The normal opening is 3212, but occasionally we find 3222

The normal break is the bha-gaõa 211 , but others also occur e.g. 212, 111, etc.

 

3: Upajàti-vaüsaññhà (Tirokuóóasuttaü vs 13)

 

1

2

3

4

 

5

6

7

 

8

9

10

(11)

11 0r 12

 

 

3

2

1

2

|

2

1

1

|

2

1

2

(1)

3

 

x4

 

4: Old Gãti (Mettasuttaü) 11

 

1

2

3

4

 

4

2

|

1

2

1

|

4

2

|

3,

 

 

 

 

 

5

6

7

8

4

9

|

2

2

|

1

2

1

|

1

1

2

|

3

x2

Resolution occasionally produces different patterns e.g. 22 > 112

Replacement sometimes produces different patterns e.g. 121 > 22

Note that 211 is not normally found in any gaõa.

 

The Establishment of the Text

In editing a text, of course, where there are many variant readings in the different traditions to choose from, we are dealing only with probabilities, and never with certainties. In light of this it seems that a conservative approach to the texts is called for. With the verse texts in particular it seems that the best and most reliable manuscripts are found within the Sinhalese tradition. For that reason I have made BJT the basis of the readings, and have only introduced other readings when there seemed to be a real need, and when it can be done in a fairly simple way.

The Burmese edition of the text presents many problems for the would be editor, as there appears to have been an over correcting of the metre in the texts in an attempt to make them conform to classical standards. In Ratanasuttaü, for example, there are a number of readings in the Burmese edition that produce the classical bha-gaõa break 211, but there is no reason to believe that the sutta was written to that standard. 12

The most drastic changes are made in Mettasuttaü, where there has been alteration of word form, rearrangement of text, and what amounts to rewriting as well. 13 A number of the lines that have been `corrected' actually scan as Vatta lines as they presently stand, and as Vatta lines seem to have been considered acceptable in gaõacchandas verses it is questionable whether the lines ever needed correcting at all. It appears that many of the readings introduced into this text were not being read by the commentator, lack confirmation in other traditions, and are not found in the early Burmese manuscript tradition either.  

  

End Notes

 

1 Abeynayake: A Textual and Historical Analysis of the Khuddaka Nikàya, (Colombo 1984), pg 115. See also Rhys Davids, Buddhism, Its History and Literature, pgs 67-8; and Winternitz, A History of Indian Literature, ii. pg 78. (Refs from Abeyenayake).

2 See Malalasekera, The Pàli Literature of Ceylon, (Republished Kandy 1994).

3 J.R.A.S., N.S. vol iv., 309-324 (ref from the PTS edition, as the original is not available to me).

4 See my Pàëi Prosody on the same Website.

5 It may be stated here that although canonical Pàëi metrical composition stretches over a period of several centuries, it seems that the first two periods described below have to fall within the lifetime of the Buddha.

6 See Warder, Pàli Metre (London 1967)( = PM) pg 198

7 In AññhakaVagga of SuttaNipàta, for instance, there are only 4 Jagatã lines among 99 vs of Tuññhubha (there is also one Jagatã verse, no 836 in the PTS edition). In PàràyanaVagga, the Jagatã lines amount to approx 7% of the lines in the Tuññhubha verses.

8 This is the metre referred to by Alsdorf in his monograph Die âryà-Strophen des Pali-Kanon (Mainz 1967) as Old âryà. Norman in Group of Discourses II (Oxford 1992)(= GD II) also used this name, but later in his essay on The Origins of the âryà Metre in Collected Papers Vol 4 (Oxford 1993)(= CP), preferred the name Old Gãti. The latter seems in every way preferable, as the structure of the metre is in fact a primitive form of Gãti, which has the same pàdayuga structure repeated to make up a verse, whereas âryà has two different pàdayugas to the verse.

9 It may be stated here that these periods are by no means hard and fast, but run over into each other as we might expect from an evolving culture.

10 I have been greatly helped in compiling the notes that accompany this edition by Helmer Smith's metrical analysis of the 3 suttas that also appear in Sutta Nipàta (in Paramatthajotikà Vol III, 1918, reprinted Oxford 1997); and for the same suttas by K R Norman's comprehensive notes in GD II.

11 This description is based on Norman, The Origins of the âryà Metre in CP Vol 4

12 The Thai edition also has to be treated with caution. To give one example: not understanding the matter of sarabhatti vowels a reading is introduced into Ratanasuttaü at 9a, against all other editions: Ye 'rãya saccàni vibhàvayanti. When we take the sarabhatti vowel into account however, and read ariya (21), we can see that there was no need for the change in reading (for a discussion of sarabhatti (svarabhakti) see Warder PM pg 29ff

13 For alteration of word form, see e.g. 3a; rearrangement of text, 4c; rewriting, vss 9 & 10. Unfortunately, even after much handiwork occasionally the text is still left wrong, see the note to 10ab.

    

Introduction    TheText    The Metre    The Establishment of the Text

1: Saraõagamanaü    2: Dasasikkhàpadaü    3: Dvattiüsàkàraü

4: Kumàrapa¤haü    5: Maïgalasuttaü    6: Ratanasuttaü

7: Tirokuóóasuttaü    8: Nidhikaõóasuttaü    9: Mettasuttaü

Translation

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