[2] In order to pass into the cycle of karmic reincarnation, the deceased's family must engage in a variety of rituals and offerings to guide the suffering spirit into its next life.

[4] Through the belief and influence of Hinduism and Buddhism in much of Asia, preta figure appear prominently in the cultures of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Tibet, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

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.

They are described as human-like, but with sunken, mummified skin, narrow limbs, enormously distended bellies and long, thin necks.

[citation needed] Pretas are often depicted in Japanese art (particularly that from the Heian period) of Gaki-Zoshi as emaciated human-like creatures with bulging stomachs with dependable size and rather thin throats.

They are frequently shown licking up spilled water in temples, accompanied by demons (specifically oni), desperately begging to humans, and scavenging things, or winding up in severe pain representing their personal agony.

[citation needed] 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.

Thus, in some Buddhist monasteries, monks leave offerings of foods, beverages, incenses, lights, fruits or flowers to them before meals.

[9] Many rituals involve burning symbolized material possessions, such as joss paper (in the form of money, clothes, gadgets, transportation, estates, accommodation, luxuries, etc.)

[9] Thus, the hungry ghost festivals commemorating the pretas are a natural part of some Asian cultures and are not limited to only Hindu or Buddhist belief systems.

There are other forms as per the karma or "actions" of previous lives where a soul takes birth in humanoid bodies with the absence of one to three elements.

[citation needed] Pretas are crucial elements of Hindu culture, and there are a variety of very specific funerary rituals that the mourning family must engage in to guide the deceased spirit into its next cycle of karmic rebirth.

[11] These rice balls are offered in three sets of 16 over one year, which is the amount of time it takes for a preta to complete its transformation into its next phase of life.

[10] At the last and final stage, the preta is said to have a new body, four rice balls are offered and five spiritual leaders of Brahmans are fed so that they can symbolize digesting the sins of the deceased during their life.

[12] In general in Buddhist tradition, a preta is considered one of the six forms of existence (Gods, demigods, humans, animals, ghosts and hell beings) once a person dies and is reborn.

They are described as being abnormally tall with tiny mouths, able to emit a high-pitched sound that only by monks or shamans can hear.