A Study Of The Conceptual Metaphors In THE ONE HUNDRED OF PARABLE SUTRA

Metaphor has always been one of the hotspots in linguistics.The study of metaphor has gone through wave after wave.Aristotle,as a person from the beginning of language study,defines metaphor as a linguistic phenomenon or a rhetorical device.In 1980,Lakoff and Johnson stood on tiptoe for the first time to put forward conceptual metaphor theory from a cognitive point of view.Lakoff and Johnson,prolific linguistic creators,shaped the prototype of conceptual metaphor nearly forty years ago.As a shape-shifter,they inject metaphor into the way of thinking.Parable,as a special literary genre and linguistic form,infuses parabolic philosophy with story.Metaphor is an element closely related to parables.The mastery of metaphor is the best understanding of parables.The use of metaphor in parables can not only make philosophy concrete,but also enable readers to understand parables in depth.THE ONE HUNDRED OF PARABLE SUTRA,known as Aesop's fable in the East and the treasure book of Buddhism in the world,occupies an important position in the history of literature.The parables in THE ONE HUNDRED OF PARABLE SUTRA are witty and humorous but full of philosophy,short in length but full of the vital organs,structural unity without losing monotony.Every parable in THE ONE HUNDRED OF PARABLE SUTRA is a metaphor,which is blended with stories and philosophies.There are three themes involved,namely,disposal of troubles,disposal of evil behaviors and enlightenment of dharma.Therefore,the story itself is the source domain,and philosophy is the target domain.In this thesis,thirsty parables in THE ONE HUNDRED OF PARABLE SUTRA are randomly selected as corpus.Based on Lakoff's and Johnson's conceptual metaphor theory,appropriate quantitative and qualitative research methods are adopted,supplemented by case analysis.Firstly,thirty parables are classified according to the three categories of conceptual metaphor of Lakoff and Johnson.It provides specific basis for the use of case study method in typical parables.Subsequently,quantitative research method is used to analyze the distribution of conceptual metaphor in three categories.Finally,the qualitative research method is used to interpret the data,aiming at pointing out the structural features and functions of parabolic-type metaphors.The study of parables in THE ONE HUNDRED OF PARABLE SUTRA helps readers understand the role of metaphor in parables,and at the same time allows readers to leap from the superficial surface to explore the deep meaning behind the text.