Metaphorically, the haiku has its meaning in the tranquillity and the surprising sudden splash of the water. According to Lakoff, Ontological
Metaphors are often based on concepts in experience of culture 2003: 25. Basho wrote the nature things as a daily scenery in Japan. It also categorized as a nature
metaphor since Basho wrote his poem based on spiritual concept of unity with nature. Bahmill, 2004: xii.
Like the water that never blocks things is the metaphor the mind. Mind never grasps a thing and always reflects every things, while mind also does the
same thing. In the Buddhist experience, the nature of the mind is reflecting and ungraspable, just like water Suzuki, 1988: 7. The mind is reflecting every human
experience. For a Japanese like Basho, water is intimately related with life. Japanese people see water as the most essential part of life, the source of things,
like the mind as the source of things. For Japanese, water and mind are very closely related. This Japanese intimacy toward nature is the base concept of
Basho’s life that unites with nature. In Zen mind every natural things represents wisdom and spirituality Suzuki, 1988: 375. According to Lakoff, ordinary words
used in daily life is metaphorically in nature 2003: 7.
1.2. Ontological
Metaphors in Basho’s poem of the prostitutes
Prostitutes are humans that change in their life time. Prostitutes are humans that can not live forever. Since humans cannot live forever it is
considered impermanent. So that, The prostitutes and the bush clover are the metaphor of the impermanent.
As Japanese, Basho aware of the environment and the artificial house of Japan. When he wrote it, it is a feeling of a certain Japanese beauty. According to
Lakoff metaphor in this poem based on experience of ideas, morals, or concepts. The metaphor he wrote is based on a experience of ontological backgroud, that
serves various purposes entities bounded by a surface 2003: 26, which is zen way of life.
The roof is a metaphor of the absolute changes, which is the karma or the natural condition of existence that is bound in the circle of birth and death, or the
changes that can not be changed Suzuki, 1988: 231. The roof is covering the prostitues, pictured as something used for protection. The roof normally used for
it in every civilization. It is a natural condition, like the absolute changes is a natural condition. Therefore the roof is considered as a metaphor of the absolute
changes.
1.3 Ontological
Metaphors in the Basho’s poem of the dragonfly
Lakoff wrote in his book how orientational metaphors give meanings in action. Lakoff, 2003: 25 This dynamic animate dragonfly is metaphors for living
being. That the metaphor in this poem is the dragonfly, it is a metaphor for a dynamic being that always makes a move. In the context Japanese Zen, mind is
dynamic and naturally fluid, and when it stops it loses its fluidity. When mind stops in concepts or worldly business it loses its fluidity. Zen is experienced when
the mind does not stop with anything Suzuki, 1988: 103. Like the dragonfly and the grass blade. Basho wrote about the grass blade as the metaphor for the world,
the concepts, and the thoughts. They are the things for the mind to hold on.
