Analyze the use of metaphor to explain the dharma in Visuddhimagga.

Abstract

This research, titled An Analysis of the Use of Similes and Metaphors to Explain Dhamma Principles in the Visuddhimagga, aims to study the similes and metaphors found in the Visuddhimagga and to analyze their use in explaining core Dhamma principles. The target population consists of 13 key informants, including Buddhist monks and scholars in Buddhist studies. The primary research instrument employed was the in-depth interview.

The findings reveal the following:

1. The content of the Visuddhimagga, when summarized, corresponds with the Threefold Training (Sīla – morality, Samādhi – concentration, and Paññā – wisdom). The researcher categorizes the similes and metaphors into these three domains. The text of the Visuddhimagga presents a series of questions posed by celestial beings and answers given by the Buddha. This approach introduces Dhamma topics and explains them using similes and metaphors, serving as linguistic tools to convey the intended meanings clearly. Logical reasoning and contextual social knowledge are used to relate abstract principles to concrete examples through various levels of comparison.

2. The application of similes and metaphors in the Visuddhimagga begins with logical expressions and an understanding of language, including lexical semantics and causal reasoning. This aligns with the Four Analytical Expositions (Paṭisambhidā): Dhamma-paṭisambhidā (analysis of causes), Attha-paṭisambhidā (analysis of effects), Nirutti-paṭisambhidā (analysis of language), and Paṭibhāna-paṭisambhidā (analysis of intuition or improvisation). These expositions are integrated with socio-cultural contexts to clarify abstract Dhamma terms in a concrete and rational manner. Both conventional language (sammuti) and ultimate language (paramattha) are employed to appropriately convey meaning in line with the social context of that time.