Decaying, Dying, Decomposing

Abstract

Abstract This chapter explores the aesthetics of disgust in preta literature. It argues that disgust does not simply operate as a scare tactic to discourage bad behavior. Rather, disgust is integral to the ethical and soteriological framework of preta narratives. Depictions of decaying, dying, and decomposing abject preta bodies help shock (saṃvega) individuals and instill in them a sense of urgency to act toward their own soteriological good. Shock also acts as a transitory emotion that prompts individuals to cultivate confidence (śraddhā) and mental clarity (prasāda) regarding the Buddha’s teachings on actions and their fruits. As a result, disgust forms part of the affective ethos modeled and produced in preta stories, illustrating how Buddhist texts utilize literary aesthetics to produce affective experiences that are constitutive of embodied ethical action.