Pali Fonts

a lot of character


updated Mar 2, 2000

Introduction

This is a long web page and has much reference information on it. You may wish to print it out and then read it on paper. Due to the complexity, it is easier to "get the big picture" if you read it on paper. It is also handy to have it for "quick reference" later.

Fonts are the hardest part about getting started with Pali with a computer!

On this web page I describe:
1. the tranliteration style of Pali representation - with a handy reference table
2. software - txt2pali that converts transliteration style to a Pali font
3. software palitrans (you type transliteration style and instantly see the Pali character)
4. an overview of Pali fonts
5. where to get Pali fonts
6. notes about word processor compatibility with the fonts.
7. handy reference tables for the fonts
8. Unicode information for Pali people
9. how to install a font on Windows 95 and above.

If you know something about Pali fonts that isn't on this web page, please email the information to me.

The Transliteration Style

This is a very easy and intuitive way to type Pali if you are using the standard "abc" type of keyboard. Here is the standard transliteration ASCII version of diacritical marks for Pali as recommended by the Pali Text Society.

Long vowels are doubled

aa, ii, uu

straight line over single vowel

cerebral consonant

.l

dot underneath letter

cerebral consonants .ta group

.t .th .d .dh .n

dot underneath letter

palatal nasal

~n

tilde over letter

guttural nasal

"n

dot over letter

niggahita consonant

.m

dot underneath letter

Example

Paa.li

Pali written correctly in transliteration style

Until recently, there was no way to easily convert the transliteration style into the Pali special characters. So I wrote a free little program (called txt2pali) that does this.

The advantage is that you can:

1.  use transliteration to create a text in Pali on a Unix, Windows, or Macintosh computer
2.  save the files as a "Text File" (.txt - sometime called ASCII Text)
3.  use my Windows program txt2pali to convert it to the font of your choice
4.  print it out using your word processor.

Download txt2pali Version 2.0

txt2pali is a free small program that can take a simple Pali tranliteration (example: Paa.li) and convert it to following fonts: "Times_Norman", "LeedsBit PaliTranslit", "CSX", "VriRomanPali CN" and "Skt Times".

(The software runs only under Windows 95 and above, but files created can be used on both Windows and Macintosh computers).

The file is 102 Kb. zipped, 208 Kb. unzipped.

Transliteration supported:

long a= aa  long i= ii  long u= uu cerebral t= .t cerebral n= .n cerebral d= .d  and .l
palatal n= ~n  gutteral n= "n
restrained m= .m (also: "m converted to underdot m)

Palitrans Home Page

Palitrans is a free Pali word processor that allows you to type in texts using the transliteration style of typing and have the correct Pali characters instantly appear while you are typing.

This is a very free handy program for anyone who has to create texts in Pali.

After you create a text, you can save it to disk or "copy and paste" it into your word processor.

General Notes about Fonts

After you download a font, you must "install" it on your computer. This is explained at the bottom of this web page.

In Windows, you can see the correct font name, version number, owner and sample text by "Start"->"Control Panel"->icon "Fonts" and then double-click on the icon for the font you are interested in knowing about. You can also print out the information for reference, and to see what the font will look like printed on your printer.

Here is an overview of the Pali fonts for different computers that I know about. Below there is another table which lets you get the fonts. Finally, there is a section about different word processors

Correct Font Name

Other common names

Computer Systems

Notes

Times_Norman

Norman
Normyn

Windows
Macintosh

Truetype font.

The entire Tipitaka (The Buddhist Canon) is available as a free download using this font at: >> The Sri Lanka Tripitaka Project .

LeedsBit PaliTranslit

Pali Leeds
Leedsbit
Pali Leed Translit

Windows

Truetype font.

Used by Ven. Narada's free online Pali textbook "An Elementary Pali Course".

Indic Times

indic times 

Windows
(Macintosh?)

Unicode font.

There is info about Unicode on my Unicode and Pali page. There is a link to this web page on this web page.

VriRomanPali CN

vri
vri roman

Windows
(Macintosh?)

Truetype font.

This Pali font was updated on 16th Nov 1999. To update, please download and re-install it.

All copyrights of this font are reserved with >> Vipassana Research Institute (VRI).You are free to use this font for your personal use, but any commercial use must be sanctioned in writing by VRI.

Skt Times

Skt Times

Windows
Macintosh?

Truetype font.

This part of a series of fonts developed by Ven. Pesala. All of the fonts in the family use the same font codes. This means, that you can take a file using the font 'Skt Times', select the text, and then just select a different font in the series.

CSX

csx
csx+
csutopia

Windows
Macintosh
Unix

Postscript Type 1 font.

This is the "Classical Sanskrit Extended" font.

Windows 2000 can use these fonts without any additional software necessary.

Windows 95/98: You will need the "Adobe Type Manager" on your computer to use them. You can download the ATM 4.1 for free from ATM Light Web Site (note ATM is included with some Adobe products)

The table below shows where to get the fonts.

Font to Download

Supplier Site

Times_Norman

The Sri Lanka Tripitaka Project
(Journal of Buddhist Ethics, Penn. State University, USA)

LeedsBit PaliTranslit

Pali Sources and Resources

Indic Times

ask at http://www.cfynn.dircon.co.uk/sanskrit.html

VriRomanPali CN

Vipassana Research Institute

Skt Times

currently investigating

CSX

Sumber-sumber Theravada Lainnya

About Word Processors

In General

    To use the fonts if you are using a non-English language version of Windows, you must 1. open your word processor, 2. select an English language keyboard  3. select the Pali font you wish to use. 4. enter your Pali text.

    To insert comments using your native language into the document you must 1. position the cursor where you wish to insert your comments 2. select your native language keyboard 3. select your usual word processor font 4. enter your comments.

Microsoft Word, Microsoft WordPad, Microsoft Works

    These work fine with the fonts in the word processor itself. You may find, depending on your font, that a "Copy" and "Paste" into a different program will destroy some of the Pali characters. This can also happen when you save the file to disk as a "text file" (.txt).

WordPerfect

    WordPerfect works fine with the CSX font. WordPerfect (version 9) does NOT work correctly with the "LeedsBit PaliTranslit", "Times_Norman" and "VriRomanPali CN" fonts. This is a WordPerfect specific problem and there is no way to fix this.

    If you are doing short texts, only have WordPerfect, and do not have the CSX font you can use the free standard Windows program "WordPad" that comes automatically with Windows ("Accessories") to create your texts.

Entering the Pali Special characters into your word processor on Windows computers:

    1. press and hold down the Alt key
    2. enter the appropriate number below, including the leading "zero"
    3. release the Alt key
    4. you will see the correct Pali character with its diacritic mark

LeedsBit PaliTranslit

aa

0140

.n

0246

.l

0194

.d

0182

Aa

0238

.N

0239

.L

0226

.D

0223

ii

0180

~n

0150

.t

0202

Ii

0231

~N

0132

.T

0233

uu

0232

"n

0186

.m

0181

Uu

0242

"N

0220

.M

0200

Times_Norman

aa

0140

.n

0246

.l

0194

.d

0182

Aa

0238

.N

0239

.L

0226

.D

0223

ii

0180

~n

0150

.t

0160

Ii

0231

~N

0132

.T

0233

uu

0232

"n

0186

.m

0181

Uu

0242

"N

0220

.M

0200

VriRomanPali CN

aa

0177

.n

0186

.l

0188

.d

0185

Aa

0190

.N

0240

.L

0253

.D

0222

ii

0178

~n

0241

.t

0181

Ii

0191

~N

0209

.T

0221

uu

0179

"n

0170

.m

0189

Uu

0208

"N

0240

.M

0254

CSX (Classical Sanskrit Extended)

aa

0224

.n

0245

.l

0235

.d

0243

Aa

0226

.N

0246

.L

0236

.D

0244

ii

0227

~n

0164

.t

0241

Ii

0228

~N

0165

.T

0242

uu

0229

"n

0239

.m

0252

Uu

0230

"N

0240

.M

0253

The Skt Series (Skt Times, Skt Arial, Skt etc.)

aa

0230

.n

0188

.l

0185

.d

0240

Aa

0198

.N

0164

.L

0161

.D

0208

ii

0248

~n

0241

.t

0165

Ii

0216

~N

0209

.T

0191

uu

0254

"n

0179

.m

0181

Uu

0222

"N

0163

.M

0186

 
Here's all I know about Unicode right now

    Useful, practical information about Unicode. If you are using Pali, there is a tremendous amount of useful information on my Unicode and Pali page. You should definitely take a look here, since Unicode is already becoming the standard for fonts on all computer systems.

Installing a Font On a Windows 95 or above computer

    Use the "Start"->"Help" to read about installing fonts for your computer, or consult your handbook. If you are still stuck, phone the store where you bought the computer.
     

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