妙法蓮華經玄義 6.191

6.191

餓鬼者，或居海渚、或在人間山林中、或似人形、或似獸形。重者飢火節焰，不聞漿水之名；中者伺求蕩滌，膿血糞穢；輕者時薄一飽，加以刀杖驅逼，塞海填河。《四解脫》稱為刀塗。其中眾生，先世善根，可發關宜。聖人赴對應之，手出香乳，施令飽滿，獲冥、顯兩益，是為餓鬼果上清涼益也。

As for hungry ghosts, they dwell either on islands in the ocean, among human mountain forests, resembling human shapes, or resembling animal shapes. For the heavy, the fire of hunger flares up in every joint, and they do not hear even the name of broth or water; the middling seek out washing and cleansing, pus, blood, and excrement; the light occasionally obtain a meager meal, yet are driven and oppressed by knives and staves, filling the oceans and damming the rivers. The Scripture on the Four Liberations calls it the "knife path." If the sentient beings therein have wholesome roots from prior lives that can be stimulated when conditions are fitting, the sages respond accordingly, emitting fragrant milk from their hands and bestowing it to satisfy them, so that they obtain both hidden and manifest benefits. This is the benefit of cooling upon the fruit of hungry ghosts.