Siddham script   OriginThe Siddham script is a descendent of the Brahmi script and an ancestor of the Devanagari script. The name Siddham comes from Sanskrit and means "accomplished or perfected" The Siddham script is mainly used by Shingon Buddhists in Japan to write out mantra and sutras in Sanskrit. It was introduced to Japan by Kukai in 806 AD after he had studied Sanskrit and Mantrayana Buddhism in China. In Japan the Siddham script is known as 梵字 (bonji).

Notable features Type of writing system: syllabic alphabet

Writing direction: left to right in horizontal lines.

Used to write: Sanskrit

Siddham scriptVowels

Vowel diacritics with ka

Consonants

Sample text in Sanskrit in the Siddham alphabet

TransliterationSarve mānavāḥ svatantratāḥ samutpannāḥ vartante api cha, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ eva vartante. Ete sarve cetanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarve’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu.

Source: http://www.visiblemantra.org/human-rights.html

TranslationAll human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

LinksInformation about the Siddham scripthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhaṃ_alphabethttp://www.visiblemantra.org/siddham.htmlhttp://www.mandalar.comhttp://www.siddham-sanskrit.comhttp://www1.plala.or.jp/eiji/BONJI.htm

Siddham fontshttp://tongphuockhai.wordpress.com/2011/01/29/software-siddham-lantsa/

Writing system used to write SanskritBrāhmi, Devanāgari, Grantha, Kharoṣṭhi, Śāradā, Siddham, Thai, Tibetan

a अ ā आ i इ ī ई u उ

ai ऐ o ओ au औ aṃ अंanusvāra

(nasalised)

aḥ अःvisarga

(aspirated)

Extra Vowels

ṝ ॠ ḷ ऌ

unvoiced voiced nasal

plain aspirated plain

Velar

ka क kha ख ga ग gha घ

palatal

ca च cha छ * ja ज jha झ

retroflex

ṭa ट ṭha ठ ḍa ड ḍha ढ

dental

ta त tha थ da द dha ध

labial

pa प pha फ ba ब bha भ

semivowels

ya य ra र la ल va व

spirants

śa श ṣa ष sa स ha ह

conjuncts

kṣa क्ष

See also how to write double and conjunct consonants

Alternative forms

ja ज ṇa ण

Vowels combined with kMain consonant-vowel combinations

k क्virama

(no vowel)

kā का ki किक kī की ku कु

kai कै ko को kau कौ kaṃ कं kaḥ कः

Alternate vowel marks

ū

u

u used with ra

Combining Consonantsunvoiced voiced

plain aspirated plain aspirated

Velar

ka kha ga gha

palatal

ca cha ja jha

retroflex

ṭa ṭha ḍa ḍha

dental

ta tha da dha

labial

pa pha ba bha

semivowels

ya ra la va

spirants

śa ṣa sa ha

top

Examples of Common Conjuncts

rma

Rva

jña

jra

kya

ddha

ttva