An Elementary Pali Course
Lesson XXIV
Rules of Sandhi (Combinations)
By Sandhi* is meant the combination of two letters that come in immediate contact with each other.
This combination may take place by elision, substitution, augment, etc.
*Formed of "saµ", together, with "dh" to join.
In PÂi there are three classes of
Sandhi, viz:-
1. Sara Sandhi - Vowel Combinations,
2. Vyajana Sandhi - Consonant Combinations, and
3. Niggahita (µ) Sandhi - Niggahita Combinations.
1. Sara Sandhi - Vowel Combinations
1. When two vowels come together, the
preceding vowel is often dropped. e.g.,
Loka - agga = Lok'agga, chief of the world
Pa - indriya = pa'indriya,
faculty of wisdom
T´ni - imni = t´n'imni, these three
Sabbo - eva = sabb'eva, verily all
2. Sometimes the following vowel is
dropped, if it is preceded by a dissimilar vowel. e.g.,
Chy - iva = chy'va, like a shadow
Iti - api = iti'pi, such indeed
Pto - eva = pto'va, early morning
3. When the preceding dissimilar vowel
is dropped, the following "i" and"u" short or
long, are substituted by "e" and "o"
respectively. e.g.,
Upa - eto = Up'eto, constituted
Suriya - udaya = suriy'udayu, suriyodaya, sunrise
4. When the preceding vowel is dropped,
the following vowel is sometimes lengthened. e.g.,
Buddha - anussati = Buddh'nussati, reflection on the Buddha
Gacchmi - iti = gacchm'´ti, that I go
Bahu - upakro = bahèpakro, very helpful
Sace - ayaµ = sacyaµ, if this
Idni - ahaµ = idn'haµ, now I
5. Sometimes the preceding vowel is
lengthened when the following vowel is dropped. e.g.,
Lokassa - iti = lokass'ti, thus to the world
Vi - atikkama = v´'tikkama, transgression
Sdhu - iti = sdhè'ti, thus good
J´vitahetu - api = j´vitahetè'pi, even for the sake of life
6. When te, me, ye are followed by a
vowel, "y" is sometimes substituted for their final
"e". e.g.,
Me - ayaµ = myayaµ, myyaµ, this by me
Te - ahaµ = tyahaµ, tyhaµ, I to thee
Ye - assa = yyassa, yyssa, those to him
7. When "i", "´"
and "u", "o" are followed by a dissimilar
vowel*, "y" and "v"are sometimes
substituted for them respectively. e.g.,
Vi - kato = vykato, proclaimed
Su - gataµ = svgataµ, welcome
Anu - eti = anveti, follows
Ko - attho = kvattho, what good
So - ayaµ = svayaµ, svyaµ, he this
*For instance a and are similar vowels, a and i are dissimilar vowels.
8. "Ti" of ati, iti, and pati,
when followed by a vowel, is sometimes changed into
"cc". e.g.,
Ati - antaµ = accantaµ, exceedingly
Ati - eti = acceti, surpasses
Ati - odto = accodto, very white
Iti - etaµ = iccetaµ, thus that
Pati - harati = paccharati, brings back
9. Abhi, followed by a vowel is
sometimes changed into "abbha". e.g.,
Abhi - uggato = ubbhuggato, arose
10. "Adhi", followed by a
vowel, is sometimes changed into "ajjha". e.g.,
Adhi - gama = ajjhgama, attained
11. Sometimes "t, d, n, m, y, r,
Â, v" are inserted before a vowel. e.g.,
Ajja - agge = ajjatagge, from to-day
Atta - attha = attadattha, self-good
Ito - yati = itonyati, comes from here
Idha - hu = idhamhu, here they say
So - eva = soyeva, he himself
Ni - antaraµ = nirantaraµ, without an interval, intermittent
Cha - abhi = chaÂabhi,
six kinds of higher knowledge
Ti - aögikaµ = tivaögikaµ, three factors
2. Vyajana Sandhi - Consonant Combinations
1. The vowel preceding a consonant is
sometimes lengthened. e.g.,
Te - assa = tyssa, those to him
Muni care = mun´care, the sage would wander
Su - akkhto = svkkhto, well-expounded
Jyati soko = jyat´soko, grief arises
2. Sometimes the vowel preceding a
consonant is shortened. e.g.,
Yadi v svake = yadivasvake, or if towards the
disciples
Taöh - khayo = taöhakkhayo, destruction (of) craving
3. Before a consonant the final
"o" of the pronominal stems "eta" and
"ta" is changed into "a". e.g.,
Eso dhammo = esa dhammo, that nature
So muni = sa muni, he (is) a sage
4. The consonant following a vowel is
sometimes duplicated. e.g.,
A - pamdo = appamdo, diligence
Vi - öaµ = viöaµ,
conciousness
5. When an aspirated consonant is
duplicated, the preceding one is changed into the unaspirated
form of the same consonant. e.g.,
Ni - bhayaµ = nibbhayaµ, fearless
sa - dhammo = saddhammo, noble Doctrine
3. Niggahita (µ) Sandhi - Niggahita Combinations
1. The Niggahita preceding a group
consonant is changed into the nasal of that particular group;
e.g.,
Taµ khaºaµ = taºkhaºaµ, that instant
Saµ jta = sajta, born
Taµ öaµ = taöaµ,
that knowledge
Taµ Êhnaµ = taöÊhnaµ, that
place
Ahaµ te = ahante, I to thee
Saµ nipto = sannipto, union
Saµ bodhi = sambodhi, enlightenment
Saµ mna = sammna, honour
2. The Niggahita preceding "e"
and "h" is changed into "". Before
"e" the substituted "" is
duplicated. e.g.,
Taµ - eva = taeva, itself
Taµ - hi = tahi, it indeed
3. The Niggahita preceding "y"
is sometimes changed into "",
"y" is afterwards dropped, and the substituted ""
is duplicated. e.g.,
Saµ - yamo = saamo, restraint
4. The Niggahita, followed by a vowel,
is sometimes changed into "m", and into "d"
if it is affixed to "ta" and "eta". e.g.,
Taµ - ahaµ = tamahaµ, that I
Etaµ - avoca = etadavoca, this he said
5. Sometimes the Niggahita preceding a
vowel is dropped. The initial vowel of the following word not
followed by a double consonant, is lengthened, and the final
vowel of the preceding word is dropped. e.g.,
Adsiµ ahaµ, adsi - ahaµ, ad's - ahaµ,
ads'haµ, I gave
Evaµ ahaµ, eva - ahaµ, ev'ahaµ, ev'haµ, thus I
6. Sometimes the Niggahita preceding a
consonant is also dropped. e.g.,
Buddhnaµ - ssanaµ = Buddhnassanaµ,
message of the Buddhas
7. Sometimes a Niggahita is inserted
before a vowel or a consonant. e.g.,
Cakkhu udapdi = cakkhuµ udapdi, the eye arose
Ava - siro = avaµsiro, head downwards
8. Sometimes the vowel following a
Niggahita is dropped, and the Niggahita is afterwards nasalised.
e.g.,
Idaµ api = idam'pi, this too
Kiµ iti = kin'ti, what is
Cakkaµ iva = cakkaµ'va, like a wheel