Preta

A type of ghost in Buddhist and Hindu lore. In Hindu belief the preta is a tiny ghost of the dead, no bigger than a thumbnail, that resides in the corpse or lingers near the home of the dead person for one year after the funeral. When the year is ended rituals are performed to send the soul to heaven, where it will be rewarded for good deeds performed while on earth. In Buddhist belief the preta or hungry ghost is the lowest segment of the wheel of life. Their task is to work off, in a state of constant hunger, the bad karma accumulated by anger, greed, envy, etc. Their hunger is only relieved when their karma has been balanced. Pretas are said to have tiny throats and huge bellies. They are thought to live at crossroads, which are well-known hiding places for witches, spirits and ghosts of the underworld.