Torma-Tibetan Butter Sculpture

There are six main types of tormas. In this section we will look at the first group of three.

Deity Tormas: Deity tormas are kept on the shrine, and each represents a particular tantric deity. These tormas vary in complexity from a simple cone painted white for peaceful deities like Tara and Chenrezig (the Buddha of Compassion), to intricate designs for semi-wrathful deities such Vajrayogini and Chakrasamvara.

Offering Tormas: Offering tormas are usually made for and offered to deities, Dharma Protectors, obstructing spirits, or other lower beings. Torma for obstructing spirits are called "gektor".

Medicinal Torma: A torma may be used in Tibetan medicine as an aide to a cure for illness. After the ceremony, this torma is disposed of.

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

Captured Torma: A captured torma may be used to speed the completion of activities. A person may plan to offer the torma at the completion of an activity, thereby encouraging him to complete it swiftly and successfully.

Inner, Secret and Very Secret Torma: Practicing meditation in conjunction with deity visualization is considered a form of torma offering, although no physical cake is presented. Similarly, other non-physical forms of torma offering include offering one's internal emotional and mental experiences as offerings. (note: I am seeking clarification on this definition, which is paraphrased from wikipedia)

While living in McleodGanj, home of the Tibetan exile community, I spent a lot of time at a coffeehouse situated just outside the gate to HH the 14th Dalai Lama's Main Temple. A lot of local monks, especially ones from the nearby Namgyal and Kirti Monasteries, also frequented the location.

The cafe is small and quite popular, so it is not uncommon to find yourself seated at tables with strangers. Strangers who quickly become your friends. There are not a lot of pretensions, here, and provided you speak enough words in the same language, you will soon be talking to a stunning array of people.

One afternoon, I found myself being asked by two monks if they could sit down opposite me. I amiably agreed, and they proceeded to slide into the booth and begin rolling dough and pressing it onto the table in intricate shapes. fascinated by the speed with which they worked, I bravely inquired what they were doing.

"Butter sculpture practice," said the one on the right. He told me his name was Kunga, and his English was very good. His companion, Lobsang, who seemed rather more intent on practicing, spoke mostly Tibetan.

I watched for awhile in silence, then commented, in my basic Tibetan, "Yag-po du" (phonetic spelling which means "that's good"), and in English that I thought they were very talented. Kunga smiled.

"Actually," he said, "We make the torma for His Holiness' Main Temple."