Preta
Encyclopedia
Preta, प्रेत or Peta (Pāli
) (or Yidak in Tibetan ) is the name for a type of (arguably supernatural
) being described in Buddhist, Hindu
, Sikh
, and Jain texts that undergoes more than human suffering
, particularly an extreme degree of hunger and thirst. They are often translated into English as "hungry ghost
s", from the Chinese, which in turn is derived from later Indian sources generally followed in Mahayana Buddhism. In early sources such as the Petavatthu
, they are much more varied. The descriptions below apply mainly in this narrower context.
Pretas are believed to have been jealous or greedy people in a previous life. As a result of their karma
, they are afflicted with an insatiable hunger for a particular substance or object. Traditionally, this is something repugnant or humiliating, such as human corpses or feces
, though in more recent stories, it can be anything, however bizarre.
In Classical Sanskrit, the term refers to the spirit of any dead person, but especially before the obsequial rites are performed,
but also more narrowly to a ghost or evil being.
The Sanskrit term was taken up in Buddhism to describe one of six possible states of rebirth.
The Chinese term 饿鬼, literally "hungry ghost", is thus not a literal translation of the Sanskrit term.
Pretas are often depicted in Japanese art
(particularly that from the Heian period
) as emaciated human beings with bulging stomachs and inhumanly small mouths and throats. They are frequently shown licking up spilled water in temples or accompanied by demon
s representing their personal agony. Otherwise they may be shown as balls of smoke or fire
.
Pretas dwell in the waste and desert places of the earth, and vary in situation according to their past karma
. Some of them can eat a little, but find it very difficult to find food or drink. Others can find food and drink, but find it very difficult to swallow. Others find that the food they eat seems to burst into flames as they swallow it. Others see something edible or drinkable and desire it but it withers or dries up before their eyes. As a result, they are always hungry.
In addition to hunger, pretas suffer from immoderate heat and cold; they find that even the moon scorches them in the summer, while the sun freezes them in the winter.
The sufferings of the pretas often resemble those of the dwellers in hell
, and the two types of being are easily confused. The simplest distinction is that beings in hell are confined to their subterranean world, while pretas are free to move about.
. However, in some traditions, pretas try to prevent others from satisfying their own desires by means of magic
, illusions, or disguises. They can also turn invisible or change their faces to frighten mortals.
Generally, however, pretas are seen as beings to be pitied. Thus, in some Buddhist monasteries, monks leave offerings of food, money, or flowers to them before meals.
Since 657
, some Japanese Buddhists have observed a special day in mid-August to remember the gaki. Through such offerings and remembrances (segaki
), it is believed that the hungry ghosts may be released from their torment.
In the modern Japanese language
, the word gaki is often used to mean spoiled child, or brat
. In a game of tag
, the person who is "it" may be known as the gaki.
In Hinduism
Pretas are very real beings. They are a form, a body consisting only of air and Akaash (Sky or Black matter or space), two of the five elements which constitutes a body on Earth or any other planet i.e. Air, Water, Dark Matter (Space), Fire and Earth. There are other forms as per the ‘Karma’ or ‘actions’ of previous lives where a soul takes birth in bodies resembling human forms or forms of the main intelligent entity in a planet, but with a unique difference that is absence of one to three elements. In Hinduism an Atma
or Soul is bound to take rebirth after death in a body composed of five or more elements. A soul in transient mode is pure and its existence is comparable to that of a Deva (divine being) but in the last form of physical birth. The elements except Akaash or Sky or Black matter as defined is the common constituent throughout the Universe and the balance four are common to the properties of the planets or stars or places of birth. This is the reason that Pretas cannot eat or drink as the rest three elements Earth, Fire & Water are missing hence no digestion or physical intake is possible for them.
Páli
- External links :* *...
) (or Yidak in Tibetan ) is the name for a type of (arguably supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
) being described in Buddhist, Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
, Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
, and Jain texts that undergoes more than human suffering
Suffering
Suffering, or pain in a broad sense, is an individual's basic affective experience of unpleasantness and aversion associated with harm or threat of harm. Suffering may be qualified as physical or mental. It may come in all degrees of intensity, from mild to intolerable. Factors of duration and...
, particularly an extreme degree of hunger and thirst. They are often translated into English as "hungry ghost
Hungry ghost
Hungry ghost is a Western translation of Chinese , a concept in Chinese Buddhism and Chinese traditional religion representing beings who are driven by intense emotional needs in an animalistic way....
s", from the Chinese, which in turn is derived from later Indian sources generally followed in Mahayana Buddhism. In early sources such as the Petavatthu
Petavatthu
The Petavatthu is a Theravada Buddhist scripture, included in the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Pali Canon's Sutta Pitaka. It is composed of 51 verse narratives describing specifically how the effects of bad acts can lead to rebirth into the unhappy world of petas in the doctrine of karma...
, they are much more varied. The descriptions below apply mainly in this narrower context.
Pretas are believed to have been jealous or greedy people in a previous life. As a result of their karma
Karma in Buddhism
Karma means "action" or "doing"; whatever one does, says, or thinks is a karma. In Buddhism, the term karma is used specifically for those actions which spring from the intention of an unenlightened being.These bring about a fruit or result Karma (Sanskrit, also karman, Pāli: Kamma) means...
, they are afflicted with an insatiable hunger for a particular substance or object. Traditionally, this is something repugnant or humiliating, such as human corpses or feces
Feces
Feces, faeces, or fæces is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the anus or cloaca during defecation.-Etymology:...
, though in more recent stories, it can be anything, however bizarre.
Names
The Sanskrit term preta means "departed, deceased, a dead person", from pra-ita, literally "gone forth, departed".In Classical Sanskrit, the term refers to the spirit of any dead person, but especially before the obsequial rites are performed,
but also more narrowly to a ghost or evil being.
The Sanskrit term was taken up in Buddhism to describe one of six possible states of rebirth.
The Chinese term 饿鬼, literally "hungry ghost", is thus not a literal translation of the Sanskrit term.
Description
Pretas are invisible to the human eye, but some believe they can be discerned by humans in certain mental states. They are described as human-like, but with sunken, mummified skin, narrow limbs, enormously distended bellies and long, thin necks. This appearance is a metaphor for their mental situation: they have enormous appetites, signified by their gigantic bellies, but a very limited ability to satisfy those appetites, symbolized by their slender necks.Pretas are often depicted in Japanese art
Japanese art
Japanese art covers a wide range of art styles and media, including ancient pottery, sculpture in wood and bronze, ink painting on silk and paper and more recently manga, cartoon, along with a myriad of other types of works of art...
(particularly that from the Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
) as emaciated human beings with bulging stomachs and inhumanly small mouths and throats. They are frequently shown licking up spilled water in temples or accompanied by demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
s representing their personal agony. Otherwise they may be shown as balls of smoke or fire
Hitodama
are believed in Japanese folklore to be the souls of the newly dead taking form as mysterious fiery apparitions. The word hitodama is a combination of the Japanese words hito, meaning "human", and tama , meaning "soul"...
.
Pretas dwell in the waste and desert places of the earth, and vary in situation according to their past karma
Karma in Buddhism
Karma means "action" or "doing"; whatever one does, says, or thinks is a karma. In Buddhism, the term karma is used specifically for those actions which spring from the intention of an unenlightened being.These bring about a fruit or result Karma (Sanskrit, also karman, Pāli: Kamma) means...
. Some of them can eat a little, but find it very difficult to find food or drink. Others can find food and drink, but find it very difficult to swallow. Others find that the food they eat seems to burst into flames as they swallow it. Others see something edible or drinkable and desire it but it withers or dries up before their eyes. As a result, they are always hungry.
In addition to hunger, pretas suffer from immoderate heat and cold; they find that even the moon scorches them in the summer, while the sun freezes them in the winter.
The sufferings of the pretas often resemble those of the dwellers in hell
Naraka (Buddhism)
Naraka नरक or Niraya निरय is the name given to one of the worlds of greatest suffering in Buddhist cosmology.Naraka is usually translated into English as "hell", "hell realm", or "purgatory"...
, and the two types of being are easily confused. The simplest distinction is that beings in hell are confined to their subterranean world, while pretas are free to move about.
Relations between pretas and humans
Pretas are generally seen as little more than nuisances to mortals unless their longing is directed toward something vital, such as bloodBlood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
. However, in some traditions, pretas try to prevent others from satisfying their own desires by means of magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
, illusions, or disguises. They can also turn invisible or change their faces to frighten mortals.
Generally, however, pretas are seen as beings to be pitied. Thus, in some Buddhist monasteries, monks leave offerings of food, money, or flowers to them before meals.
Local traditions
In Japan, preta is translated as gaki , a borrowing from Chinese e gui .Since 657
657
Year 657 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 657 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* The Chinese Tang Dynasty under Emperor Gaozong...
, some Japanese Buddhists have observed a special day in mid-August to remember the gaki. Through such offerings and remembrances (segaki
Segaki
The is a ritual of Japanese Buddhism, traditionally performed to stop the suffering of the gaki, ghosts tormented by insatiable hunger. Alternatively, the ritual forces the gaki to return to their portion of hell or keeps the spirits of the dead from falling into the realm of the gaki...
), it is believed that the hungry ghosts may be released from their torment.
In the modern Japanese language
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, the word gaki is often used to mean spoiled child, or brat
Brat
Brat or The Brat may refer to:* BRAT diet, for patients with various forms of gastrointestinal distress* Bratwurst, a type of sausage* Military brat** Military brat Brat or The Brat may refer to:* BRAT diet, for patients with various forms of gastrointestinal distress* Bratwurst, a type of sausage*...
. In a game of tag
Tag (game)
Tag is a playground game played worldwide that involves one or more players chasing other players in an attempt to tag or touch them, usually with their fingers. There are many variations...
, the person who is "it" may be known as the gaki.
In Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
Pretas are very real beings. They are a form, a body consisting only of air and Akaash (Sky or Black matter or space), two of the five elements which constitutes a body on Earth or any other planet i.e. Air, Water, Dark Matter (Space), Fire and Earth. There are other forms as per the ‘Karma’ or ‘actions’ of previous lives where a soul takes birth in bodies resembling human forms or forms of the main intelligent entity in a planet, but with a unique difference that is absence of one to three elements. In Hinduism an Atma
Atma
Atma may refer to:*Atman , in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions: the higher self.* Atma, a 2011 album by the band YobATMA may refer to:...
or Soul is bound to take rebirth after death in a body composed of five or more elements. A soul in transient mode is pure and its existence is comparable to that of a Deva (divine being) but in the last form of physical birth. The elements except Akaash or Sky or Black matter as defined is the common constituent throughout the Universe and the balance four are common to the properties of the planets or stars or places of birth. This is the reason that Pretas cannot eat or drink as the rest three elements Earth, Fire & Water are missing hence no digestion or physical intake is possible for them.
See also
- BhavacakraBhavacakraThe bhavacakra is a symbolic representation of samsara found on the outside walls of Tibetan Buddhist temples and monasteries in the Indo-Tibet region...
- Bhoot (ghost)Bhoot (ghost)A bhoot or bhut is a supernatural creature, usually the ghost of a deceased person, in the popular culture, literature and some ancient texts of the Indian subcontinent...
- Bon FestivalBon Festivalor just is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. This Buddhist-Confucian custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to ancestral family places and visit and clean their ancestors' graves, and when the spirits of ancestors are supposed...
- Buddhist cosmologyBuddhist cosmologyBuddhist cosmology is the description of the shape and evolution of the Universe according to the canonical Buddhist scriptures and commentaries.-Introduction:...
- ChödChödChöd , is a spiritual practice found primarily in Tibetan Buddhism. Also known as "Cutting Through the Ego," the practice is based on the Prajñāpāramitā sutra...
- GanachakraGanachakraA gaṇacakra is also known as tsog, gaṇapuja, cakrapuja or gaṇacakrapuja. It is a generic term for various tantric assemblies or feasts, in which practitioners meet to chant mantra, enact mudra, make votive offerings and practice various tantric rituals as part of a sadhana, or spiritual practice...
- Ghost FestivalGhost FestivalThe Ghost Festival, also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, is a traditional Chinese festival and holiday celebrated by Chinese in many countries...
- Hungry ghostHungry ghostHungry ghost is a Western translation of Chinese , a concept in Chinese Buddhism and Chinese traditional religion representing beings who are driven by intense emotional needs in an animalistic way....
- JikininkiJikininkiIn Japanese Buddhism, jikininki are the spirits of greedy, selfish or impious individuals who are cursed after death to seek out and eat human corpses. They do this at night, scavenging for newly dead bodies and food offerings left for the dead...
- MaudgalyayanaMaudgalyayanaMaudgalyāyana , , also known as Mahāmaudgalyāyana or Mahāmoggallāna, was one of the Śākyamuni Buddha's closest disciples. A contemporary of famous arhats such as Subhūti, Śāriputra, and Mahākāśyapa, he is considered the second of the Buddha's two foremost disciples , together with Śāriputra...
- SegakiSegakiThe is a ritual of Japanese Buddhism, traditionally performed to stop the suffering of the gaki, ghosts tormented by insatiable hunger. Alternatively, the ritual forces the gaki to return to their portion of hell or keeps the spirits of the dead from falling into the realm of the gaki...
- Six realmsSix realmsThe desire realm is one of three realms or three worlds in traditional Buddhist cosmology into which a being wandering in may be reborn. The other two are the form realm, and the formless realm The desire realm (Sanskrit kāma-dhātu) is one of three realms (Sanskrit: dhātu, Tibetan: khams) or...
- Tingsha
Further reading
- Firth, Shirley. End of Life: A Hindu view. The Lancet 2005, 366:682-86
- Sharma, H.R. Funeral Pyres Report. Benares Hindu University 2009.
- Garuda Purana. J.L. Shastri/A board of scholars. Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi 1982.
- Garuda Purana. Ernest Wood, S.V. Subrahmanyam, 1911.
- Monier-Williams, Monier M. Sir. A Sanskrit-English dictionary. Delhi, India : Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1990. ISBN 81-208-0069-9.