The Use of Metaphors in Zen Rhetoric

抄録

The power of metaphors is used in Zen Buddhism in the process of attaining enlightenment. To understand the unique style of communication in Asian societies, it is pivotal to first comprehend how Zen masters and their disciples communicate to allow them to see the Zen reality. This paper discusses the significant role metaphors play in Asian social communication with a concentration on religious communication in general and Zen Buddhism in particular. It examines the use of koan and mondo, two forms of discourse found in Zen Buddhism that rely heavily on metaphors, to obtain enlightenment.