Metaphors in and out Buddhism One of the questions / answers recently posted here was about "storing" mental states for later.

Of course this isn't Buddhist, in the sense that it does not literally describe a selfless person.

But it could be metaphorical, couldn't it? The idea that the mind is like a computer, even though there are dis-analogous elements to that term, there are overlaps - like the way that persons have access to the past in memory, as if they were "stored".

So my question is: are any of the Buddhas actual teachings only metaphorical?
This city (body) is built of bones, plastered with flesh and blood;
  within are decay and death, pride and jealousy. - [Dhp. 150] 


The Dhammapada is full of metaphors, similes and comparisons. It is a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist scriptures. Here's a good article on that.