Conceptual Metaphor of Growth in Baha-e Valad's Ma arif

In this article، the metaphors of growth in Baha-e Valad’s Ma’arif have been، based on the model of conceptual metaphor، analyzed. M etaphors of growth، here، include vegetative terms for onceptualization of abstract concepts. The center of these metaphors can be explained with the statement ''existence is vegetation،'' for the main concepts— God، universe، and human— in Baha-e Valad’s text have been demonstrated through vegetative metaphors. Since metaphors is at the service of human understanding in contemporary theory، the article interprets Baha-e Valad’s important ideology about theological and mystical issues such as pantheism، free will and determinism، manifestation and vision، by explaining and analyzing Ma،arif،s metaphors which are reflections of his personal beliefs and contextual ideology of his society.