Access the full text.
Sign up today, get DeepDyve free for 14 days.
References for this paper are not available at this time. We will be adding them shortly, thank you for your patience.
AbstractThe former child-eating demoness Hārītī is well-known throughout the Buddhist world as a fertility goddess, healer, and protector. However, two eighth-century Chinese esoteric texts, the Da yaochanü Huanximu bing Aizi chengjiufa (Sādhana of the great yakṣiṇī Mother Joy and Priyaṇkara) and the Helidimu zhenyan jing (Sūtra of the mantra of Mother Hārītī), shed light on a more obscure Hārītī, marked by her sexuality and romantic past. This article argues that Hārītī may be understood as a seductress, a potentially sensual deity who remains loyal to her husband but, at the same time, demonstrates the ability to displace her sexuality. More specifically, the article proposes that Hārītī should be recognized as a chaste seductress on two levels: through her relationship with her husband, and through her interaction with those who practice esoteric rituals. Furthermore, Hārītī’s threatening sexuality went beyond Buddhist texts and entered the world of Chinese literature: Song dynasty supernatural tales and Ming era fictional works reveal a less orthodox and more daring way in which the goddess is able to employ her sexuality.
NAN NÜ – Brill
Published: Aug 16, 2021
Read and print from thousands of top scholarly journals.
Already have an account? Log in
Bookmark this article. You can see your Bookmarks on your DeepDyve Library.
To save an article, log in first, or sign up for a DeepDyve account if you don’t already have one.
Copy and paste the desired citation format or use the link below to download a file formatted for EndNote
Access the full text.
Sign up today, get DeepDyve free for 14 days.
All DeepDyve websites use cookies to improve your online experience. They were placed on your computer when you launched this website. You can change your cookie settings through your browser.