Metaphors of Dhamma in the “Pontreenares” TikTok Channel

Abstract

This research aimed to study metaphors related to Dhamma in the “Pontreenares” TikTok channel. Data were collected from all clips published on this channel between August 5, 2022 toyyy November 21, 2024, totaling 1,310 clips. The study purposively selected only those clips that featured poetic verses presenting content related to Buddhist teachings and had received more than 10,000 views, resulting in 127 clips and 189 poems. All collected data were analyzed for metaphors related to Dhamma according to the specified issues.
The results of the study found that the use of metaphors related to Dhamma comprised 11 conceptual metaphors, listed in order of frequency as follows: 1. Dhamma as liberation, found in 108 poems; 2. Dhamma as governance, found in 29 poems; 3. Dhamma as warfare, found in 13 poems; 4. Dhamma as healing, found in 9 poems; 5. Dhamma as cooling or extinguishing temper, found in 7 poems; 6. Dhamma as cleaning, found in 7 poems; 7. Dhamma as eating, found in 6 poems; 8. Dhamma as dispelling darkness, found in 5 poems; 9. Dhamma as agriculture, found in 3 poems; 10. Dhamma as merit-making, found in 1 poem; 11. Dhamma as work, found in 1 poem. All 189 poems served as teachings on morality and ethics according to Buddhist principles, with meanings that were implicit. Thus, the audiences were required to interpret the messages in order to understand them. The use of metaphors was therefore one method that helped explain abstract Dhamma in a way that was easier to understand.