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12 UPACÆRA (METAPHOR)

Upa samøpe carati pavattati vadatøti upacæro.

It is called upacæra because it says in the vicinity.

Up+√car+¼a

Tips

1. Grasp the literal or original meaning of a word of metaphor.

2. Take the relevant or secondary meaning of the word.
3. Consider the relationship between the literal and relevant meanings of the word
4. Compare and match these meanings and relationship with 12 Upacæras.

NB. Simile (upamæna) is sadisa and modified word (upameyya) sadisø in Sadisþpacæra.

Unmovable thing is samøpø and movable thing samøpa in Samøpþpacæra.

1. Kāraṇūpacāra

Kāraṇassa upacāro kāraṇūpacāro.

(Kæra¼þpacæra means a word which is near a cause.)

The metaphor by which the result (phala) is taken by describing a cause (kæra¼a) is called
Kæra¼þpacæra.

e.g. Cakkhunā rūpaṃ passati. (One sees a visible form with an eye.

Original meaning: eye base (cause)

Secondary meaning: eye consciousness (result)

Relationship: eye base (cause) & eye consciousness (result)

 
 
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Eye base is the cause (kāraṇa). Eye-consciousness is the result (phala). Only eye-
consciousness that arises at the eye-base can see visible form, but instead of saying
cakkhuviññāṇa (result), (one) says cakkhu (cause) by means of metaphor.

e.g. Pæli: Rakkhitacittassa sammæsa³kappagocaroti idaµ satindriyaµ. (Netti, 86)

A¥¥hakathæ: Indriyesu guttadaværatæ satisaµvaro, satibalena ca

nekkhammavitakkædibahulo hotøti vuttaµ, “tasmæ rakkhitacitassa sammæsa³kappagocaroti
idaµ satindriyan”ti. Tassattho- tasmæ rakkhitacitassa sammæsa³kappagocaroti ettha
rakkhitacittatæya ca sammæsa³kappagocaratæ kæra¼þpacærena idaµ satindriyaµ.

(Netti, a. 177)

2. Phalūpacāra

Phalassa upacāro phalūpacāro

(Phalþpacæra means a word which is near a result.)

The metaphor by which the cause (kæra¼a) is taken by describing the result (phala) is called
Phalþpacæra.

e.g. Odano paccate. (The rice is cooked.)

Original meaning: cooked rice

Secondary meaning: rice (raw, uncooked)

Relationship: rice -cause and cooked rice -effect

The original meaning of “odana” is cocked-rice. Cooked-rice doesn’t need to be cooked

again. Therefore, the secondary meaning of “odana”, raw rice, is taken.

e.g. Pæli: Yaµ kæyikaµ sukhaµ, ayaµ kæyapassddhi. (Netti, 56)

 
 
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A¥¥hakathæ: Yasmæpana sæ darathapa¥ipassaddhikæyacittænaµ sukhe sati pæka¥æ
hoti, tasmæ “yaµ kæyikaµ sukhan”ti ædinæ phalþpacærena vuttæya passaddhiyæ
natiabhævassa kæra¼abhævaµ dassetuµ “passaddhakæyo”tiædi vuttaµ. (Netti, a. 127)

3. Sadisūpacāra

Sadisassa upacāro sadisūpacāro.

(Sadisþpacæra means a word which is near the simile.)

The metaphor by which man or thing likened (sadisø) is taken by describing simile
(sadisa) is called Sadisþpacæra.

(Viggaha of sadisī: sadiso assa atthīti sadisī)

e.g. Sīho gāyati. (The lion sings.)

Original meaning: lion

Secondary meaning: proper name or one who is brave as lion

Relationship: similarity of two: lion –sadisa and person named Søha –sadisø

e.g. Pæli: Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhþ kokanade pæsæde sæmisena hatthena
pænøyathælakaµ pa¥igganhanti. (Vi, II, 260)

A¥hhakathæ: Kokanadeti evaµnæmake. Kokanadanti padumaµ vuccati, so ca

pæsædo padumasa¼¥hæno, tenassa kokanadotveva næmaµ akaµsu. (Vi, a, III, 167)

¿økæ: Padumasa¼¥hænoti iminæ pæsædassa sadisþpacærena kokanadoti næmalabhanaµ

dasseti. (Pæcityædiyojanæ, 137)

4. Ṭhānūpacāca

Ṭhānassa upacāro ṭhānūpacāro.

 
 
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(¿hænþpacæra means a word which is near the place.)

The metaphor by which man or thing existing on something (¥hænø) is taken by describing
the place (¥hæna) is called ¿hænþpacæra.

(Viggaha of ṭhānī: ṭhānaµ assa/asmiµ atthīti ṭhānī)

e.g. Mañcā ghosanti. (The benches make sound.)

Original meaning: bench

Secondary meaning: people staying on the bench

Relationship: ṭhāna –bench & ṭhānī ‐people staying on the bench

E.g. Pæ¹i: Kaba¹økære æhære “asubhe subhan”ti vipallæso. (Netti, 95)

¿økæ: Kaba¹økæreti ¥hænþpacærena voharite ojæs³khæte æhære. (Nettivibhævinø, ¥økæ,

188)

5. Ṭhānyūpacāra

Ṭhānino upacāro vohāro ṭhānyūpacāro.

(¿hænþpacæra means a word which is near ¥hænø and which is expressed.)

The metaphor by which place (¥hæna) is taken by describing man or thing existing on
something is called ¿hænyþpacæra.

e.g. Kuntā pacaranti. (The spears go round.)

Sattihatthā purisā sattiyo taṃsahacaraṇato yathā “kuntā pacarantī” ti. (Mahævagga. ¥ø.
190)

Original meaning: spear

Secondary meaning: people with spear

 
 
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Relationship: ṭhānī -spear & ṭhāna -people with spear

e.g. Pæ¹i: Katamaµ sæsanappa¥¥hænaµ? Saµkiesabhægiyaµ suttaµ…(Netti, 106)

A¥¥hakathæ: Sæsanaµ adhisølasikkhædayo. Tesaµ pavattanupæyabhævato

pati¥¥hahanti etehøti pa¥¥hænæni, saµkilesædidhammæ. Tesaµ pavedanato tadupacærena
suttæni pa¥¥hænæni.

¿økæ: Taµ sikkhattayaµ pati¥¥hahati etena saµkilesædinæti pa¥¥hænaµ, sikkhattayassa

saæsanassa pa¥¥hænanti sæsanapa¥¥hænaµ. Tadædhærabhþtaµ suttampi ¥hænyþpacærena
sæsanapa¥¥hænaµ næma. (Nettivibhævinø, ¥økæ, 280)

6. Guṇūpacāra

Guṇassa upacāro guṇūpacāro.

(Gu¼þpacæra means a word or phrase which is near attribute or quality.)

The metaphor by which concrete or abstract noun is taken by describing attribute or

quality (of that noun) is called Gu¼þpacæra.

★ All adj. are called guṇūpacāra.

e.g. Nīlo paṭo. (The blue or brown garment)

Original meaning: brown

Secondary meaning: cloth

Relationship: guṇa -(attribute/quality) & dabba/gu¼ø -(object)

E.g. A¥¥hakathæ: Kasmæ panesa døghanikæyoti vuccati? Døghappamæ¼ænaµ suttænaµ

samþhato nivæsato ca. (D, a. 23)

 
 
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¿økæ: Gu¼opacærena, taddhitavasena væ døghasaddena døghappamæ¼æni suttæniyeva
gahitæni. (D, abhinava, ¥ø, I, 121)

7. Ekadesūpacāra / Avayavūpacāra

Ekadesassa upacāro ekadesūpacāro.

(Ekadesūpacāra means a word or phrase which is near a part and which is expressed.)

The metaphor by which the whole of something is taken by describing a part of it is called
Ekadesþpacæra.

e.g. Bhattaṃ bhuñjati. (One eats rice.

Original meaning: cooked rice

Secondary meaning: cooked rice, curry, deserts, etc.

Relationship: part/main -ekadesa & whole –ekadesø

e.g. Pæ¹i: Bhikkhupaccatthikæ manussitthiµ bhikkhussa santike ænetvæ

vaccamaggena…….passævamaggena………mukhena a³gajætaµ abhinisødenti santhatæya
asanthatassa. (Vi, I, 37)

A¥¥hakathæ: Santhatæ næma yassæ tøsu maggesu yo koci maggo palive¥hetvæ væ

abhinisødentøti iminæ nayena anto væ pavesetvæ yena kenaci vatthena pa¼¼ena væ vækapa¥¥ena
væ cammena væ tipusøsædønaµ pa¥¥ena væ pa¥icchanno. (Vi, a, I. 231)

¿økæ: Samudæye avayavþpacæreneva bhikkhupi santhato næmætiædi vuttaµ. (Viati, ¥ø,

I. 14)

8. Ekadesyūpacāra

Ekadesino upacāro ekadesyūpacāro.

 
 
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(Ekadesyūpacāra or avayavþpacæra means a word or phrase which is near the whole of
something.)

The metaphor by which a part of something is taken by describing the whole of the same
thing is called Ekadesyūpacāra or avayavþpacæra.

e.g. Samuddo mayā diṭṭho. (The ocean is seen by me.)

Original meaning: whole sea

Secondary meaning: part of sea

Relationship: whole –ekadesø & part-ekadesa

e.g. Pæ¹i: Chabbaggiyæ bhikkµhþ uccævacæni kæyabandhanæni dhærenti-kalæbukaµ,

deððubhakaµ, murajaµ, maddavø¼aµ. (Vi, IV, 276)

A¥¥hakathæ: Deððubhakaµ næma udakasappasøsasadisaµ. (Vi, a, IV, 54)

¿økæ: Deððubhakanti ettha deððubhasaddena tassa søsaµ gahetabbaµ

ekadesyþpacærena. (Pæcityædiyojanæ, 462)

9. Samīpūpacāra

Samīpassa upacāro vohāro samīpūpacāro.

(Samīpūpacāra means a word or phrase which is near the vicinity of something.)

The metaphor by which a near unmovable thing (samøpø) is taken by describing the nearness
or vicinity of a movable thing (samøpa) is called Samīpūpacāra.

e.g. Yena tīrena nāvā gacchati. (By whichever bank, a boat goes.)

Original meaning: bank (samīpa)

Secondary meaning: river (samīpī)

 
 
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Relationship: samīpa -bank & samīpī‐river

e.g. Pæ¹i: Na cæcare methunaµ byanjanasmiµ,

chejjaµ siyæ methunadhammapaccayæ. (Vi, V, 378)

A¥¥hakathæ: Kæyasaµsaggo methunadhammassa pubbabhægattæ paccayo hoti. Iti

chejjæ siyæ methunadhammapaccayæti ethha iminæ pariyæyena attho veditabbo. (Vi, a, III,
178)

¿ækæ:Iminæ pariyæyenæti iminæ lesena samøpþpacærenæti attho. (Pæcitiyædiyojanæ,

146)

NB. In the Pæcittiya Bhæsæ¥økæ, the word methunadhama is assumed to be kæra¼þpacæra that
explains kæyasaµsagga (caressing of woman’s body) which is cause is referred to by the
word methunadhamma (sexual relation) which is result. (Pæcittiya Bhæsæ¥økæ, II. 130)

10. Samīpyūpacāra

Samīpino upacāro samīpyūpacāro.

(Samīpyūpacāra means a word or phrase which is near something near.)

The metaphor by which vicinity of movable thing is taken by describing near unmovable
thing is called Samīpyūpacāra.

e.g. Gaṅgāyaṃ sassaṃ tiṭṭhati. (The paddy stands in the Ganges.)

Original meaning: River Gaṅgā

Secondary meaning: vicinity of river Gangæ

Relationship: samīpī & samīpa

11. Taddhammūpacāra

Taddhammassa upacāro taddhammūpacāro.

 
 
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(Taddhammūpacāra means a word or phrase which is near the nature of something.)

The metaphor by which something really existing is used for something not really existing is
called Taddhammūpacāra.

e.g. Sasavisāṇaṃ. (The horn of a rabbit)

Original meaning: horn (of oxen, buffaloes, deer, etc)

Secondary meaning: rabbit’s horn, which is not really existent.

Relationship: something that is really existent & something that is not really existent.

12. Abhedabhedūpacāra / Abhedūpacāra/ Abhedopacāra

Abhedampi bhedaµ viya upacæro abhedþpacæro.
(Abhedþpacæra means a word or phrase which is near and expressed as if different despite no
difference.)
The metaphor by which something single is expressed as if being of two or more parts, being
different from each other and as if one part possesses the other is called Abhedþpacæra.

e.g. Silāputtakassa sarīraṃ. (The body of a small stone son)

Original meaning: small stone

Secondary meaning: body

Relationship: unreal relationship between a small stone and its body

A small stone to grind medicinal herbs with is called Silæputtaka (a small stone son)
because it is like the son of flat circular stone used for making beautifying paste by grinding
Thanakha, Myanmar traditional ornamental wood on it and for grinding herbs. The grinding
stone has no limbs like head, hands, legs, body to be named and differentiated. But
figuratively, it is said here as if it had the body.

(Potesit Ga¼¥hi kyan, 336)

 
 
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e.g. Pæ¹i: So chavasøsassa pattaµ dhæreti. (Vi, IV, 251)

¿økæ: Chavasøsassa pattant silæputtakassa sarøraµ, khørassa dhærætiædivohæravsena

vuttaµ. (Vajirabuddhi, ¥økæ, 523)

Chavasøsassa pattanti chavasøsamayaµ pattaµ. Pakativikærasambandhe cetaµ

sæmivacanaµ, abhedepi bhedþpacærenæyaµ vohæro “silæputtakassa sarøran”tiædøsu
viya. (Saratthadøpanø, ¥ø, III, 387)