Buddhism

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions A Dictionary of Buddhism Further reading

Torma

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions | 1997 | | Copyright

Torma (gtor.ma, ‘scattered (oblation)’; Skt., bali, ‘offering’). Sacrificial cake-offering in Tibetan Buddhism, made of barley flour, brightly decorated with coloured butter and shaped according to ritual requirements. It is so called because almost invariably it is scattered for eating by birds and animals after the ceremony, though occasionally it may be consumed during the ritual. Tormas may be offered to bodhisattvas, ḍākinīs, local spirits, even as bribes to satisfy demons. Tormas often play a part in empowerment (Skt., abhiṣekha; Tib., dbang.bskur) rituals, where the empowerment to perform the practice of a particular deity is given by the lama first projecting the deity into the torma, and then anointing the disciple with it.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

JOHN BOWKER. "Torma." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN BOWKER. "Torma." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Torma.html

JOHN BOWKER. "Torma." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Torma.html

Learn more about citation styles

torma

A Dictionary of Buddhism | 2004 | | Copyright

torma (Tib., gtor-ma). Literally ‘a cast-out thing’, a torma is a sculpted offering made of coloured barley flour and butter used in tantric rituals as an offering or propitiation to various spiritual beings.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

DAMIEN KEOWN. "torma." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

DAMIEN KEOWN. "torma." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-torma.html

DAMIEN KEOWN. "torma." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-torma.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Brigadier General Michael J. Torma.(United States Air Force)(Biography) Newspaper article from: U.S. Air Force Military Biographies; 1/1/2004
	The last ambassador; August Torma, soldier, diplomat, spy.(Brief... Magazine article from: Reference & Research Book News; 6/1/2011
	James D. Torma.(Local) Newspaper article from: The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA); 1/14/2008