An Outline of the Metres in the Pāḷi Canon

An Outline of the Metres in the Pāḷi Canon - 28
Opacchandasaka example from Kātiyāna’s gāthā (Th 412):
⏑⏑−⏑⏑¦−⏑−⏑−−
Sayathā pi mahāsamuddavego
−−−⏑⏑¦−⏑−⏑−−
evaṁ jātijarātivattate taṁ,
⏑⏑−⏑⏑¦−⏑−⏑−−
sŏ karohi sudīpam-attano tvaṁ, 1
⏑⏑−−⏑⏑¦−⏑−⏑−−
na hi tāṇaṁ tava vijjateva aññaṁ.
2.11 Mattāchandas Periods
It should be noted that in the early texts the most common opening
of the odd lines in Vetālīya is −−⏑⏑. In the later period this falls
back considerably with the other variations, notably ⏑⏑−⏑⏑
showing a marked increase; also in the later period the syncopated
forms almost come to an end, and runs of light syllables start to
appear.
2.12 Rathoddhatā and Pupphitaggā (Puṣpitāgrā)
These are the two fixed metres derived from the above.
Rathoddhatā (a Vetālīya even pāda):
Similarly Pupphitaggā (from Opacchandasaka) in the Canon is still
somewhat flexible:
⏔⏔⏑⏑¦−⏑−⏑−×
⏔⏔−⏑⏑¦−⏑−⏑−×
(x2)
with occasional resolution of a heavy syllable elsewhere. In its postcanonical
form the opening of the first line was fixed as ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑
and the second as ⏑⏑⏑⏑−⏑⏑.
1 Reading sŏ as short to give the correct opening