妙法蓮華經玄贊 6.187

6.187

其餓鬼趣略有三種：一由外障礙飲食，二由內障礙飲食，三飲食無有障礙。由外障礙飲食者，由習上品慳故生鬼趣中，常與飢渴相應，皮肉血脈皆悉枯槁猶如灰炭，頭髮蓬亂，其面黯黑、脣口乾焦，常以其舌舐略口面，飢渴慞惶處處馳走。所到泉池，為餘有情手執刀杖及以羂索行列守護，令不得趣。或強趣之，便見其泉變成膿血，自不欲飲。如是等名由外障礙飲食。由內障礙飲食者，謂彼有情咽或如針、口或如炬，或復頸癭、其腹寬大。由此因緣，縱得飲食無他障礙。自然不能若噉若飲，如是等名由內障礙飲食。此前文說其咽如針，皆是此輩。飲食無有障礙者，謂有餓鬼名猛焰鬘，隨所飲噉皆被燒然，由此常受飢渴大苦。復有餓鬼名食糞穢，或有一分食糞飲尿；或復一分唯能飲噉極可厭惡生熟臭穢，縱得香美而不能食；或有一分自割身肉而噉食之，縱得餘食竟不能噉。如是等輩是名飲食無有障礙。

The preta destiny has, in brief, three kinds: first, having external obstacles to food and drink; second, having internal obstacles to food and drink; third, having no obstacles to food and drink. As for having external obstacles to food and drink: due to habitual upper-grade stinginess, they are born in the preta destiny, constantly accompanied by hunger and thirst; their skin, flesh, and blood vessels are all withered and dried up like ashes and charcoal; their hair is dishevelled, their faces pitch-black, their lips and mouths parched and burnt; they constantly lick their mouths and faces with their tongues, running frantically everywhere in hunger and thirst. At the springs and ponds they reach, other sentient beings wielding knives, clubs, and ropes stand in rows guarding them so they cannot approach. Even if they force their way forward, they see the springs transform into pus and blood, so that they themselves do not wish to drink. Such are termed 'having external obstacles to food and drink.' As for having internal obstacles to food and drink: those sentient beings' throats may be like needles, their mouths like torches, or their necks afflicted with goitres while their bellies are cavernous. Due to these causes, even if they obtain food and drink without external obstacles, they are naturally unable to eat or drink. Such are termed 'having internal obstacles to food and drink.' What was previously said about their 'throats being like needles' refers to this class. As for having no obstacles to food and drink: there are pretas called Blazing Garlands, who are burnt whenever they drink or eat, and thus constantly suffer the great agony of hunger and thirst. There are also pretas called Excrement Eaters, a portion of whom eat faeces and drink urine; or a portion who can only consume extremely repulsive, raw or cooked, foul and filthy substances, being unable to eat even if they obtain fragrant and delicious food; or a portion who cut off their own bodily flesh to devour it, unable to eat any other food even if obtained. Such classes are termed 'having no obstacles to food and drink.'