Conceptual Metaphors of PUÑÑA and PAPA In Contemporary Thai Dharma Books

Abstract

This article aims to study the conceptual metaphors of PUÑÑA and PAPA in contemporary Thai Dharma books. The data were collected from contemporary Thai Dharma books published between 2007 and 2022. The findings reveal conceptualizations of PUÑÑA and PAPA, categorized into eight conceptual metaphors for PUÑÑA: (1) [PUÑÑA is an object], (2) [PUÑÑA is energy], (3) [PUÑÑA is money], (4) [PUÑÑA is aid or support], (5) [PUÑÑA is food], (6) [PUÑÑA is a cleansing agent], (7) [PUÑÑA is water], and (8) [PUÑÑA is a plant]. Meanwhile, six conceptual metaphors for PAPA were identified: (1) [PAPA is an object], (2) [PAPA is dirt], (3) [PAPA is a potent substance], (4) [PAPA is a wound], (5) [PAPA is a burden], and (6) [PAPA is debt]. These conceptual metaphors of PUÑÑA and PAPA not only serve to concretize abstract moral concepts, but also illustrate how metaphors can be applied to make the Dhamma in the Tripitaka more accessible by linking it to people’s everyday lives and presenting it through contemporary Dharma literature. Moreover, they reflect a process of transmission and adaptation in presenting traditional religious concepts by employing source domains that are more familiar and relatable, thereby expanding and systematizing the meanings of PUÑÑA and PAPA in ways that align with the modern world.