One of the three worse rebirth states, characterized by the suffering of being unable to satisfy basic needs, such as hunger and thirst, and caused primarily by miserliness. The Tibetan translation of the term connotes that their minds are tied up with miserliness, so that their throats are likewise tied up, resulting in them clutching at food and drink. Translated by most others as "hungry ghost," which is a literal rendering of the Chinese translation for the term, adopted by the Chinese in reference to the spirits of departed ancestors that suffered when not presented with regular offerings of food.
Tibetan: ཡི་དྭགས། yi-dvags
Sanskrit: preta
Pali: peta
J. Hopkins: Ghost; Preta; Hungry ghost
Synonyms: Clutching ghost; Hungry ghost
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