檢視 Torma 食子 / 朵瑪的原始碼

[[Image:Kagye.jpg|thumb|400px|A [[Kagyé]] torma in preparation for the practice of [[Tendrel Nyesel]]]]
'''Torma''' ([[Wyl.]] ''gtor ma''; Skt. ''baliṃta'') — a ritual cake, usually hand-moulded from butter and ''[[tsampa]]'' (roasted barley flour) and coloured with dyes, which can symbolize a deity, a [[mandala]], an offering, or even a weapon. 

More 'permanent' tormas can be made of clay or plasticine, to which small amounts of edible substances such as ''[[amrita|düdtsi]]'' are added when they are made. Tormas are usually ornamented with ''kargyen'', 'white ornament', which are disc-like decorations of the sun and moon, four-petalled flowers, lotus bases and dissolving-point shapes known as ''nada''.

== Origin ==
To trace back a particular practice or aspect of practice to the [[Buddha]] is a way to authenticate its origin, while showing that the lineage has remained uninterrupted since its inception helps give us confidence that the way we are practising today is still in accordance with the instructions of the Buddha. 

The origin of the tormas we offer is described in the following account. Once, at the time of the Buddha [[Shakyamuni]], as [[Ananda]] was practising the [[Dharma]] in the forest near the city of [[Kapilavastu]], a frightening ''[[preta]]'' spitting fire through his mouth appeared in front of him. He told Ananda, “You have only seven days left to live, at the end of which I will eat you.” Ananda, extremely scared, ran to the Buddha and told him what had just happened. The [[Bhagavan]] replied, “Make a torma of infinite magnificence, bless it with mantra, and offer it. This will liberate you from the fear of untimely death and lead you to accomplish infinite qualities.” 

== Transmission Lineage ==
The practice of offering torma has been transmitted through many lineages, but one particular lineage is as follows: [[Ananda]] transmitted to [[Nanda]], and Nanda to the [[bhikshuni]] Rati. Several [[arhat]]s received it from her and then passed it on to the yogin Antavajra, and the sages of [[Bodhgaya]]. Then it passed to [[Dharmamati]], [[Atisha]], [[Dromtönpa]] who, in turn, transmitted it to the [[Three Brothers]] (his three principal disciples—[[Potowa]], [[Chengawa Tsultrim Bar|Chengawa]] and [[Phuchungwa Shyönnu Gyaltsen|Phuchungwa]]). This is how the lineage was transmitted progressively to Tibet, the Land of Snows.

== The Essence of Torma ==
The essence of the torma is the [[dharmadhatu]], which is the utterly pure nature of the world, and the wisdom of [[rigpa]], the completely pure nature of the [[sentient beings]] inhabiting the world—it is the indivisible union of [[emptiness]] (the object) and [[wisdom]] (the subject).

Even though there are several categories of tormas (such as outer, inner, secret, [[dhyana]], illustrative) here we are mainly discussing the first, the outer torma.

== Meaning of the Word ==
[[Image:Torma 1.png|frame|A [[tsok]] offering torma]]
As for the term ‘torma’, Guru [[Padmasambhava]] said:

:‘tor’ means to give without attachment, and
:‘ma’ means completely present. 

So ‘tor’ refers to giving without any attachment or grasping in the mind, and ‘ma’ to when what is given is completely present to the perception of the guests. 

And who are those guests? In a nutshell they are those who are higher than us and to whom we offer, and those who are lower than us and to whom we give. To divide those two groups slightly, there are four categories: 
*the guests invited out of respect, the [[Three Jewels]], 
*the guests invited for their qualities, the glorious deities, 
*the guests invited out of compassion, the beings of the [[six realms]], and 
*the guests who are [[harmful spirit]]s (Tib. ''dön''), [[obstacle maker]]s (Tib. ''gek'') and our [[karmic creditor]]s.

==Further Reading==
*[[Padmasambhava]] and [[Jamgön Kongtrül]], ''The Light of Wisdom, Vol II'', translated by [[Erik Pema Kunsang]] (Boudhanath, Hong Kong & Esby: Rangjung Yeshe, 1998), pages 128-129 & 199-200. 

[[Category:Shrine and Ritual]]