What is Tibetan Tormas?

Torma in Sanskrit word is called " Balingta"  and Tormas are offering cakes and symbolize the food offering to the Buddhas, Deities.  Originally made of dough, in Tibet, it roasted barley flour is used, and also sculpted from butter, they have evolved into elaborately decorated objects.  

Since making them is time-consuming, people have begun to use clay, wood and more recently, synthetic substances. Tormas are used not only in Vajrayana, but also during the Buddha Shakyamuni times. 

Legend has it, in the past in India, one day Ananda was in the forest in Kapilavastu. As he was contemplating the Dharma, before him low down in the sky appeared a *Preta with fire blazing from its mouth, terrifying to look at. It said to Ananda, " In seven days time you will die," Upon hearing this, Ananda was filled with fear and then told the Buddha what had happened. 

*Footnote
Preta is the Sanskrit name for a hungry ghost being described in Hinduism, Buddhism as undergoing suffering greater than that of humans, particularly an extreme level of hunger and thirst.

Buddha Shakyamuni then taught a majestic Dharani mantra and immeasurable Torma offering and by offering that Torma, Ananda was freed from the terror of untimely death and attained many excellent qualities.

The Essence of Tormas

Tormas are in essence the identity of indivisible basic space and wisdom

The Etymology of Tormas

Guru Rinpoche once said:-

Since they do not hold, but cast away, they are called "Tor" and since they pervade everything, they are called "Ma"

In that way, because they are given free of grasping and attachment they are described as "Tor" which means to scatter and disperse, and because they appear in front of all guests as they are described as "Ma".

The Different Types of Guests

How many types of guests, or recipients of Tormas are there? The different types of guests can be condensed into the objects of homage and objects of generosity. To be more detailed, there are four types of guests:-

1. The guests of honor, the objects of refuge
2. The guests of qualities, the glorious protectors
3. The guests of compassion, beings of the six classes
4. The guests of karmic debts, negative spirits

1-Tormas are dedicated to the guests of honor in the way that you would pay your taxes to the King.In that way, one gathers vast accumulations and protected by their compassion.

2-Tormas are dedicated to the guests of qualities in the way that you would give a present to a friend or equal standing.In that way, beneficial activities are accomplished and obstacles are prevented.

3-Tormas are dedicated to the guests of compassion as a feast or banquet.In that way, one accomplishes the benefit of others and thereby becomes a follower of the great vehicle.

4-Tormas are dedicated to the guests of karmic debts, negative spirits like paying back a debt. In that way, grudges are purified and future negative and harm is averted.

Tormas have different uses. Some are created and placed on shrines for ceremonies or to represent deities. Others are used in feast practice and consumed by practitioners during the practice. Others are made to appease spirits, accumulate merit, or remove obstacles. The Tormas are mostly made of barley flour and butter, but traditionally other ingredients such as egg, milk, sugar, honey, and even meat may be included depending upon the purpose of the Torma.

There Are 6 Different Types of Tormas
1) Deity Tormas are kept in the shrine, and represent a particular tantra deity. These Tormas vary in complexity from a very simple cone painted white for peaceful deities like Buddha, Tara and Avalokiteshvara, to very complex designs for semi-wrathful deities like Vajrayogini.

2) Food Tormas are used in feast practices and are consumed partially by practitioners during the feast, with leftovers offered to lower beings after being blessed. In some traditions, food Tormas are now made with more contemporary ingredients, whereas others stay faithful to the barley flour tradition.

3) Offering Tormas may be made for and offered to deities and Dharma Protectors, to obstruct spirits, or to other lower beings. Torma for obstructing spirits are called "Gektor".

4) Medicine Tormas may be used in Tibetan medicine to extract an illness from a patient as a cure. The torma is then cast away.

5) Captured Tormas may be used to speed completion of activities, by planning to offer the torma at the completion of the activity thereby encouraging successful activity.

6) Inner and secret Tormas are for practicing meditation with deity visualization is considered a form of Torma offering, though no physical Torma is created and then offered. Similarly, offering one's internal emotional and mental experiences and experiences of non-physical forms of Torma offerings.

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