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Return to Buddhism, Vajrakilaya, Vajrakilaya - A Complete Guide by Garchen Rinpoche Table of Contents, Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche

“ (VkGarR)

CHAPTER 5

White Torma Offering Instructions

I included the white torma offering text as a supplement to the Practice Manual. Since it is extremely important to understand the meaning rather than just to mimic Tibetan sounds, it has been translated for recitation in English. The white torma offering is particularly necessary when sādhakas must consecrate a new place for Buddhist practice. Meditators should understand that the local Deities, earth goddesses, and landholding spirits of mountains, waters, and the five elements have been there long before one arrived and will be there long after one has departed.

Secret Mantra sadhanas must absolutely be practiced in places where the Dharma has never been heard before. When such new places are being consecrated, nonhumans may cause hindrances for practitioners. These are beings whose experience with humans may be limited to contact with people who were too self-absorbed even to be aware of their existence. Thus, from a worldly perspective, the white torma offering is a sign of civility — an acknowledgment of the landholders and their circumstances — and an offering made with kindness. Through practicing the generosity of the white torma and smoke offerings, sādhakas allay the doubts of nonhumans and fulfill their wishes through Bodhicitta, thus dispelling obstacles to the practice.

Even those humans who are aware and who know to make offerings often approach landholders with a materialistic or transactional attitude. For example, when people are undertaking a construction project, they commonly think they should offer the white torma as a means of communicating, “I need to erect a building here, so don't give me any trouble!” But that is not the purpose at all! What one is accomplishing with the white torma and golden libation offerings is far more profound than that.

The ritual begins with cleansing and refining the offerings through mantra, mudrā, and meditation. One imagines a vast jeweled vessel containing the torma, which transforms into nectar and is then consecrated with the three syllables. Next, one summons the earth goddesses and other landholders, offering them seats. Then, one makes the initial offering of the torma and the outer offerings.

The recipients of these offerings, the holders of many different kinds of places, are diverse in their names, forms, characteristics, and activities. Some of them are extremely long-lived. Others hold great wealth and power. Still others are timid, withdrawing and hiding as soon as humans appear. A few of these beings are listed in the text:

HŪ. Gods, nāgas, kinglies, furies, harmdoers,

planetary spirits, smell eaters,

aquarians, demons, men-or-whats,

carnivores, mātarīs, bulbous ones,

mu demons, receptacle girls, and

urban flesh eaters with female ghosts,

local gods and lords of regions and

places, treasures, wealth, and all the rest,

bands of spirits, elementals, gods,

all lay folk who keep commands and oaths —

Among these, bulbous ones are a type of preta with short, rounded bodies. They experience gain and loss in games of chance. Receptacle girls are like beggars who hold out a container to receive offerings. Perhaps they are prostitutes. Although it is not necessary to know about each of these different types of beings, a bit of understanding can help in relating to them with compassion.

These beings experience great suffering and hardship. Through the ritual, one assures them that one is practicing in order to accomplish their purpose. Thus, from a spiritual perspective, the main point of the white torma is to approach the landholders with a mind of love and compassion, wishing to clear away their circumstantial sufferings and the hardships of all beings. Since one is not motivated by one's own aims, the practice is really for the sake of the country, the land, and its inhabitants. Thus, the text says,

…as you take this golden libation

and torma comprised of all things clean,

harmful, wicked thoughts are pacified.

Thus, always be my wholesome allies.

In this country's lands and regions, I

practice unsurpassed supreme bodhi

and make effort for sentient ones' sake.

Thus, make my conditions favorable!

Although the material offering appears in the form of a torma, one should understand that it actually emerges as whatever diverse offerings will please the local Deities. The same is true of the golden libation, which has traditionally been a small vessel of beer or tea, sometimes garnished with shavings of pure gold. Regardless of the outer appearances of these offerings, their nature is Bodhicitta. It isn't that one bribes the landholders not to do harm by offering them gifts. Rather, one wins them over through the force of Bodhicitta that accomplishes the purpose of all sentient ones, themselves included. For this reason, one must have completely pure intentions from the bottom of one's heart to benefit the land and its inhabitants.

Since the earth lords can clearly perceive people's motivations, they understand when beings give rise to conventional Bodhicitta. They recognize the intentions that accord with their own aims. Similarly, when practitioners are insincere, merely mouthing the words of the text without pure intent, this too is obvious to them.

The white torma offering text concludes with the following aspirations:

Steadfast earth goddesses and the like,

earth lords' kings with ministers and courts —

as you take this golden libation

and torma comprised of all things clean,

these, my wished-for hopes, will be fulfilled.

Neither bothered, nor begrudging, nor

jealous, please provide me this ground of

precious treasures! Actualize all hopes

and accomplish aspirations, please!

Bring forth my activities' results!

When, with loving kindness, sādhakas assure the earth goddesses and holders of the land that our purpose is to free them from suffering, they feel delighted. The natural consequence of that delight is that they become allies, helping and supporting practitioners' work. As one chants the words and offers the white torma with pure motivation, they receive Bodhicitta into their mindstreams through the Buddhas' blessings. If practitioners hold on to the view of ”making effort for sentient ones' sake,“ the meaning and purpose of the peaceful torma offering will be achieved.

” (VkGarR)

Fair Use Source:

• Vajrakilaya - A Complete Guide by Garchen Rinpoche