Material: Copper. Synthetic resin. Gold-plated
Size: Approx. 8cm
Narrative:
Dolma (Tibetan: གཏོར་མ།, Willy's transliteration: gtor ma) is an important offering in Tibetan Buddhism. It is usually made of tsampa (barley flour) and ghee, and dyed into different colors. It is offered to Buddha, Bodhisattva, deity or to ghosts and gods.
**origin**
The origin of Doma can be traced back to the Indian Buddhist offering cake, called "bali" or "balingha" in Sanskrit. It was originally a cake-shaped offering and later evolved into a cone shape in Tibetan Buddhism. In addition, Tibetan Buddhism was influenced by Bon religion. Early Bon religion had rituals of killing animals for sacrifice. After Buddhism was introduced to Tibet, in order to avoid killing, offerings were made with tsampa and ghee, and dyed red to symbolize offerings.
**How to use**
Toma plays an important role in the rituals of a religious ceremony and is usually thrown at the end of the ceremony to symbolize offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and charity to all living beings. Different methods and traditions have different specifications for the shape and color of the thoma:
- **White Torma (Gaduo)**: Offering to gentle deities such as Tara, Manjusri, etc.
- Red Torma: Offering to the wrathful deity or guardian deity, and adding the inner offering of nectar.
- **Shape changes**: The circle symbolizes stopping disasters, the square symbolizes growth, the semicircle symbolizes love, and the triangle symbolizes surrender.
In addition, some "Dorma" will be decorated with butter sculptures, and will be consecrated and enshrined, making them an object of offering for practitioners, like a symbol of the deity.
The current "Doma" almost always uses alternative materials to replace the original food materials when offering and worshipping.
In general large Taoist temples, monasteries, large-scale rituals, and prayer sites, you can still see some "Dorma" made with traditional craftsmanship, which represents a more pious heart and supreme auspiciousness.
