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Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. The Illuminator of Language Text Commencement of the Work 1. Eighty-four thousand aggregates of Dhamma, shining brightly; In the world, whose shine, of endless colors, resplendent. 2. The Buddha of endless qualities, I revere, the master of language; And his True Dhamma and the Saṅgha, vessels of pure qualities. 3. Moggallāna, the greatly wise, a lion in the forest of language; He roared the roar of grammar, pervading the forest of the Sugata's teachings. 4. Its meaning I shall illuminate, dividing it into various sections; Having delved into the science of words, the nine-fold teaching of the Master. 1. Section on Sandhi Collection of Terms Collection of Key Terms Letter, vowel, homogeneous, long, short, consonant, class, nasalization. 1. A and so forth, forty-three letters. A and so forth, ending with the nasalization, these forty-three letters are called "letters". A, ā, i, ī, u, ū, eta, e, ota, o. Ka, kha, ga, gha, ṅa, ca, cha, ja, jha, ña, ṭa, ṭha, ḍa, ḍha, ṇa, ta, tha, da, dha, na, pa, pha, ba, bha, ma, ya, ra, la, va, sa, ha, ḷa, aṃ. They are called "letters" because they describe and make clear meaning. They are also called "syllables" because, being in the form of name-designations, they do not perish, they do not go to decay and destruction. For it is said: "Name and lineage do not decay." 2. The first ten are vowels. Among those letters, the first ten letters are called "vowels". They are called "vowels" because, having obtained their own form, they shine and are resplendent by themselves. 3. Two by two are homogeneous. Among those vowels, two by two vowels are called "homogeneous". A, ā are the a-vowel; i, ī are the i-vowel; u, ū are the u-vowel; eta, e are the e-vowel; ota, o are the o-vowel. They are called "homogeneous" because their sound is the same. They are also called "of the same form" because their form and sound are the same. 4. The former is short. Among each pair of homogeneous vowels, whichever is the former, that is called "short". They are called "short" because they are to be pronounced with a short duration. A short duration is the time it takes for the blinking of an eye. The time of an unwinking eye. Therein, 'eta' and 'ota', these two, when followed by a conjunction within a single word, are sometimes found. Eṭṭhi, seṭṭho, oṭṭho, sotthi. What is meant by 'conjunction within a single word'? So that short vowels do not occur when followed by a conjunction between words. "Maṃ ce tvaṃ nikhaṇaṃ vane," "putto tyāhaṃ mahārāja." What is meant by 'sometimes'? So that short vowels do not occur even in a single word conjunction, when followed by class-final consonants, or by ya, ra, la, or va. Enti, senti, eyya, bhāseyya, meṇḍo, soṇḍo. 5. The subsequent is long. Among two like vowels, whichever is subsequent, that is called long. It is called long because it is to be spoken with a long time. The long time is double the time of short vowels. 6. K-sounds and so forth are consonants. Among those sounds, the sounds beginning with 'ka' up to 'bindu' are called consonants. They are consonants because they manifest meaning. They, when pure, are half a mora. When joined with a short vowel, one and a half moras. When joined with a long vowel, two and a half moras. 7. The five-fives are classes. Among those consonants, the five-consonant groups beginning with 'ka' and ending with 'ma' are called classes. The five beginning with 'ka' is the 'ka' class, the 'ca' class begins with 'ca', the 'ṭa' class begins with 'ṭa', the 'ta' class begins with 'ta', the 'pa' class begins with 'pa'. The rest are non-classes, thus established. In the enumeration of sounds, consonants of a single place of articulation, arranged in groups, are called classes. 8. The dot is niggahīta. The sound that is merely a dot at the end is called niggahīta. It is niggahīta because it is held and uttered. The section on 'heavy' designation is finished. The section on consonant articulation. Place, instrument, effort. Six places – throat-place, palate-place, crown-place, teeth-place, lips-place, nose-place. Among these, by one speaking clearly, where "akkha" is said, that is the throat-place. Where "iccha" is said, that is the palate-place. Where "raṭṭha" is said, that is the crown-place. Where "sattha" is said, that is the teeth-place. Where "puppha" is said... 'i' is said, that is the lip-place. The nose-region is the nasal-place. But sometimes the chest-place, the head-place, and the tongue-root-place are also mentioned. Therein, the head-place is indeed the crown-place. But they say the tongue-root-place is common to all sounds. The articulator is fourfold – the tongue-root, the mid-tongue, the tongue-tip, and its own place. The effort is fourfold – constricted, open, touched, slightly touched. Therein, the special manner of constriction, etc., of the articulators with their respective places is called constricted, etc. Therein, produced by the mutual contact of the throat-regions, the 'a' sound, the 'ka' group, and 'ha' are called guttural. Produced by the contact of the mid-tongue with the palate, the 'i' sound, the 'ca' group, and 'ya' are called palatal. Produced by the contact of the mid-tongue with the inner roof of the mouth, the 'ṭa' group, 'ra', and 'ḷa' are called cerebral. Produced by the contact of the tongue-tip with the upper row of teeth, the 'ta' group, 'la', and 'sa' are called dental. Produced by the contact of the two lips, the 'u' sound and the 'pa' group are called labial. The niggahīta is called nasal. But the final sounds of the five groups are produced both in the nasal-place and in their own place. The 'e' sound is guttural-palatal. The 'o' sound is guttural-labial. The 'va' sound is dental-labial. Moreover, the 'i' and 'u' sounds are also produced in the throat. When the 'ha' sound is combined with the final sounds of the groups, or with 'ya', 'ra', 'la', 'va', then they call it chest-born. Pañho, tuṇhi, nhāto, vimhito, gayhate, vulhate, avhānaṃ. The 'a' sound pronounced by constricting the throat is called constricted. Pronounced by opening their respective places and articulators, the remaining vowels, and 'sa', 'ha' are called open. The five groups pronounced by making them touch firmly are called touched. 'ya', 'ra', 'la', 'va' pronounced by making them touch slightly are called slightly touched. Therein, for those pronouncing the 'pa' group among the labials, the firm touching of the two lips is desired. Why? Because the 'pa' group has a touched effort. But for those pronouncing the 'u' sound, the two lips are... The sound should be desired. Why? Because the 'u' vowel has open articulation. This is the rule for all the rest. However, in the Cūḷanirutti, it is said: All short vowels are closed, All long vowels are open. Likewise in the Saddasāratthajālinī, and in some Sanskrit texts. This is more fitting. Vowels combined with consonants from other places, even abandoning their own place and instrument, do not abandon their articulation. Therefore, in the combination of various sounds, the difference in the combination of articulations should also be understood. There, if one saying "suṇātu me" were to pronounce the 'ṇā' sound with the tongue-tip at the dental place, it would become a dental 'nā' sound. And if one were to pronounce the 'tu' sound with the underside of the tongue at the cerebral place, it would become a cerebral 'ṭu' sound. And if this were the case, there would be a corruption of the letter. This is the rule for the rest of the cerebral and dental sounds. Therefore, those reciting the kammavācā should be very skilled in place, instrument, and articulation. Loose, and aspirated, long, short, heavy, light; Nasalized, and released, conjoined, and separated. The first, third, and fifth consonants of a class, pronounced with a soft vocal effort, are called loose. The second and fourth consonants of a class, pronounced with a firm vocal effort, are called aspirated. Long and short have been mentioned before. Long vowels, and those preceded by a conjunct, and those ending in a nasalization, are called heavy. The rest are called light. Just as the sound-laden breath, without exiting through the mouth opening, becomes directed towards the nasal passage, so a consonant pronounced with the mouth not open is called nasalized. All consonants combined with it are called nasalized-ending. The rest are called released. What is to be pronounced by way of word-junction is called conjoined. What is to be pronounced by making a word-break is called separated. The section on consonant pronunciation is finished. Section on Lightness Notations Jho, lo, po, gho, go. 9. Jha and la, at the end of a name with 'u' vowel. In a masculine word, the final I and U vowels are called Jha. 10. Pitthiyaṃ In a feminine word, the final I and U vowels are called Pa. 11. Ghā Gho, Ā — these two words. In a feminine word, the A vowel is called Gha. 12. Go syālapane In vocative case, Si is called Ga. The section on short signs is finished. Section on Conventions 13. Vidhi visesanaṃ yaṃ tassa In a rule, whatever is seen as a qualifier, its operation should be understood. ‘Ato yonaṃ ṭāṭe’. Narā, nare. Yonanti is the qualifier. Ṭāṭeti is the operation. 14. Sattamiyaṃ pubbassa In a locative case statement, the operation should be understood for the preceding letter. ‘Saro lopo sare’. Lokaggo. 15. Pañcamiyaṃ parassa In an ablative case statement, the operation should be understood for the succeeding letter. ‘Ato yonaṃ ṭāṭe’. Narā, nare. 16. Ādissa An operation that is prescribed for a succeeding element should be understood for its first letter. ‘Ra saṅkhyāto vā’. Terasa. 17. Chaṭṭhiyantassa In a genitive case statement, the operation should be understood for the end of that element. ‘Rājassi nāmhi’. Rājinā. 18. Ṅānubandho An augment with Ṅ as an anubandha