Current version: 0.0.3 Online demo here.

palieasyread

A quick and simple Python script to split Roman pali words into smaller syllables which are easier to be read.

Bodhirukkhabodhigharaāsanagharasammuñjaniaṭṭadāruaṭṭavaccakuṭidvārakoṭṭhakapānīyakuṭipānīyamāḷakadantakaṭṭhamāḷakesupi

[Bo dhi ruk kha bo dhi gha ra ā sa na gha ra sam muñ ja ni aṭ ṭa dā ru aṭ ṭa vac ca ku ṭi dvā ra koṭ ṭha ka pā nī ya ku ṭi pā nī ya mā ḷa ka dan ta kaṭ ṭha mā ḷa ke su pi]

(from Vinayasaṅgaha-aṭṭhakathā VRI version)

It splits correctly most of the words, but NOT all. Some words may need your postprocessing edit (manually find & replace!).

NOT recommended for beginners who have no idea how to pronounce a pali word. For example gārayhā, this script will split it to: gārayhā => gā ra yhā, do you know how to pronounce it?

Usage

Step 1 Install python3 (if not yet)

Open your device terminal and run:

python3 --version

It will print the current python version installed on your device, something like Python 3.x.x.

If not, you need to install or update python. Visit python to download a new one.

Step 2 download palieasyread

Download this repository and unzip it, you will see this standalone app file palieasyread.py and example.txt.

Copy these 2 files to your convenient folder and from terminal, use the command cd to go to that folder.

To convert a pali text file

For example with example.txt, run:

python3 palieasyread.py example.txt

The results will be saved to example.txt_done.txt in that same directory.

To process text right on the terminal

That standalone app file palieasyread.py can be copied anywhere and used as a command line tool or python module.

It also supports text input in terminal:

python3 palieasyread.py pubbakaraṇapubbakiccāni samāpetvā desitāpattikassa

Output:

pubbakaraṇapubbakiccāni samāpetvā desitāpattikassa
pub ba ka ra ṇa pub ba kic cā ni _ sa mā pe tvā _ de si tā pat ti kas sa

To modify the divider

Open palieasyread.py with a code editor like Visual Studio Code, and change these values (near the top of the file) to your needs:

my_word_divider = ' _ '
my_syllable_divider = ' '
my_show_origin = True

More Examples:

Example 1

Using default settings

my_word_divider = ' _ '
my_syllable_divider = ' '
my_show_origin = True

With this text input

Pubbakaraṇapubbakiccāni samāpetvā desitāpattikassa samaggassa bhikkhusaṅghassa anumatiyā pātimokkhaṃ uddisituṃ ārādhanaṃ karoma.

Output example 1

Pubbakaraṇapubbakiccāni samāpetvā desitāpattikassa samaggassa bhikkhusaṅghassa anumatiyā pātimokkhaṃ uddisituṃ ārādhanaṃ karoma.

Pub ba ka ra ṇa pub ba kic cā ni _ sa mā pe tvā _ de si tā pat ti kas sa _ sa mag gas sa _ bhik khu saṅ ghas sa _ a nu ma ti yā _ pā ti mok khaṃ _ ud di si tuṃ _ ā rā dha naṃ _ ka ro ma.

Example 2

Set the word_div to ] [

my_word_divider = '] ['
my_syllable_divider = ' '
my_show_origin = True

With this text input

Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā, manoseṭṭhā manomayā;

Manasā ce paduṭṭhena, bhāsati vā karoti vā;

Tato naṃ dukkhamanveti, cakkaṃva vahato padaṃ.

Output example 2

Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā, manoseṭṭhā manomayā;
[Ma no pub baṅ ga mā] [dham mā,] [ma no seṭ ṭhā] [ma no ma yā;]

Manasā ce paduṭṭhena, bhāsati vā karoti vā;
[Ma na sā] [ce] [pa duṭ ṭhe na,] [bhā sa ti] [vā] [ka ro ti] [vā;]

Tato naṃ dukkhamanveti, cakkaṃva vahato padaṃ.
[Ta to] [naṃ] [duk kha man ve ti,] [cak kaṃ va] [va ha to] [pa daṃ.]

Example 3

Hide the original text (set my_show_origin=False), change the word divider to /, and syllable divider to .

my_word_divider = ' / '
my_syllable_divider = '.'
my_show_origin = False

Output example 3

Ma.no.pub.baṅ.ga.mā / dham.mā, / ma.no.seṭ.ṭhā / ma.no.ma.yā;


Ma.na.sā / ce / pa.duṭ.ṭhe.na, / bhā.sa.ti / vā / ka.ro.ti / vā;


Ta.to / naṃ / duk.kha.man.ve.ti, / cak.kaṃ.va / va.ha.to / pa.daṃ.

Related resources

Bhikkhupātimokkhapāḷi recitation audio and ebooks

Bhikkhupātimokkhapāḷi ebooks with Pāḷi syllable splitting lines https://github.com/vpnry/patimokkha_recitation

To do

(or will never do)

Make a pāḷi text to speech (PTTS) engine:

• using separated syllables approach?

• or deep machine learning approach using Sayadaws paritta chanting as voice input to train?