An Outline of the Metres in the Pāḷi Canon

An Outline of the Metres in the Pāḷi Canon - 42
Three: The Mixing of Metres
3.1 Introduction
As we have seen from the description of the metres presented above,
one of the main features of Pāḷi verse composition in the Canon is its
flexibility. Even the fixed Classical metres which were just
beginning to emerge towards the end of this period were somewhat
fluid in structure, and there was still some room within which
composition could take place.
Another way in which this shows itself is in the flexibility allowed to
move between metres as and when required. This is evident both in
the freedom with which different metres may be employed within a
composition, and even the allowance to change metres within the
verse itself, if that proved to be convenient for expression.
In what follows we will be concerned with what may be considered
the more extreme case of metre mixing within the limits of a verse,
but this will also serve to provide examples of the ability to move
between metres in the composition as a whole.
3.2 Tuṭṭhubha, Jagatī and their derivatives
We saw in 2.6 above that although both Tuṭṭhubha and Jagatī exist as
independent metres in their own right, and are used as such
frequently, nevertheless the metres are commonly mixed, as a line in
Jagatī metre was generally considered acceptable in what is
otherwise a Tuṭṭhubha verse (and visa versa). For a good example of
this see Ratanasutta Sn II:1 (see 2.7 above).
This characteristic continues even when the metres have achieved
their fixed forms as Upajāti and Vaṁsaṭṭhā, as can be seen e.g. in
Tālaputta’s gāthas Th 1091-1145, where the metres are used both
independently and in combination.