"The Universe Is a Tree" Conceptual Metaphor in Mystical Texts

Abstract

The conceptual metaphor of “the universe is a tree” in three mystical texts of the Perfect Man by Azizedin Nasafi, Morsad al-Abad by Najm al-Din Razi and Education by Baha'valad will be examined in this paper. The research questions are: a) Which of their mystical-abstract experiences about the universe have the authors elucidated deploying the territory of the tree? b) What corresponding pairs have been shaped through interaction between the source and target domains in the conceptual metaphor? To answer the questions, the researchers initially examined the texts inductively and extracted instances of application of the conceptual metaphor, "the world as a tree". The research data was then analyzed using descriptive-analytical method. The findings indicate that the authors have utilized the conceptual metaphor to express concepts like the origin of creation, inherent monotheism, perfect man, puberty and liberation, the origin of spirits, the origin of the universe, the unity of existence, death, and resurrection. Some of the corresponding pairs in the studied works are derived from mapping tree and its components onto the abstract phenomena of the universe, including “tree/universe, creation and existence, earth and sky (metaphor for world), human body”, “fruit/human, the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), human soul”; “seed/first intellect”; “Mohammadi soul; sublime divine essence”; “fruit growth and ripening/reaching perfection by human”; and “fruit separation from tree/detachment of soul from body”.

Keywords

• mystical texts
• conceptual metaphor
• universe
• tree