Analysis of goodness metaphor in Menog-ī-Xerad and Golestan-e-Sa’di using cognitive approach

Mēnōg-ī-Xerad is a text, written in middle Persian, that contains a series of questions asked by Dana and answered by Mēnōg-ī-Xerad.  Golestan-e-Sa’di is a prosed book that contains an introduction and eight chapters written by Sa’di. Using descriptive-analytical method, the preset study aimed at comparing the frequency of goodness metaphors in these two texts. Goodness was the most frequent virtue in these two texts, with 38 occurrences in Mēnōg-ī-Xerad and 17 occurrences in Golestan-e-Sa’di. Analysis revealed 19 names of mapping, such as “Things”, “Act” and so on. “Thing”, “Act”, “State”, and “Instrument” were the common names of mapping in the two texts but with different frequencies. [Goodness is a Thing] with 44% occurrences in Mēnōg-ī-Xerad and [Goodness is an Act] with 47% in Golestan-e-Sa’di were the most frequent names of mapping. [Goodness is a Thing] in most cases in Mēnōg-ī-Xerad refers to a constantly moving thing from a person to another or from a place to a person. Perhaps the existence of the name of mapping [goodness is a blessing] in Mēnōg-ī-Xerad is due to Zurvanite fatalistic beliefs that were common in the late Sassanid era. Also, the frequent name of mapping [Goodness is an Act] in Golestan indicates the pragmatic views of its writer.