Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
This ritual text provides a technical manual for performing torma cake offerings to the blue-clad form of Vajrapāṇi. The work integrates somatic visualization, the consecration of specific substances, and the application of seed syllables to transform material offerings into nectar. It outlines a hierarchical distribution of offerings, moving from the Sugatas to ḍākinīs, Dharma protectors, and elemental spirits. Beyond simple offering, the text incorporates elements of expulsion and the use of symbolic drawings on birch bark or paper to target specific entities. The practitioner is committed to a precise sequence of mudrās and internal visualizations, specifically centering the ritual action on the navel as a lotus vessel. By combining external material offerings with internal yogic processes, the text aims to purify defects and achieve a specific ritual outcome, likely related to protection or the removal of obstacles, as indicated by the references to expulsion and the benefit of the king.
Provenance
About this text
A ritual manual for the torma offering of Vajrapāṇi in Blue Robes, the Vajrapāṇinīlāmbaradharabalividhi belongs to the classical Tibetan tradition. The work is attributed to the Indian author Bhavapa. It was translated into Tibetan by lo tsa ba dge slong tshul khrims gzhon nu and is preserved in the Tengyur, volume ཛི, where it comprises five pages within the Other Skillful Means Tantras collection. The ritual enacts a complex process of offering, integrating somatic visualizations—such as the stirring of the vajra-navel to produce nectar—with the consecration of substances including rakta and the meat of winged creatures. These offerings are distributed across a hierarchy that includes the Sugatas, ḍākinīs, Dharma protectors, and elemental spirits. A scholar or serious reader consults this text today to examine the technical intersection of internal yogic processes and external material offerings, specifically how the practitioner employs visualization and consecration to benefit practitioners and achieve the aims of benefit and subjugation.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “A Ritual of Torma Cake Offerings to the Blue-Clad Vajrapāṇi” (Toh 2175), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh2175
Summary & commentary
Significance
The work is significant for its illustration of the intersection between material ritual (torma) and internal energy work (the vajra-navel and light rays) in Vajrayāna practice. It demonstrates the traditional use of 'wrathful' offerings, such as meat of winged creatures, to appease a wide spectrum of spiritual entities. For the modern reader, it provides a primary example of how ritualized visualization is used to transmute physical matter into a purified state.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-2
Introduction and Somatic Visualization
Opening homage and instructions on stirring internal energies and light rays from the navel.
3
Material Offerings and Distribution
Specification of auspicious substances and the order of offering to various spiritual hierarchies.
4
Expulsion Rituals
Instructions on drawing targets on birch bark or paper for the purpose of expulsion.
5
Consecration and Transformation
The use of seed syllables HRĪḤ or HŪṂ to incinerate defects and transform substances into nectar.
6
Inner and Secret Torma Application
The application of mudrās and the visualization of the navel as the lotus vessel for the secret torma offering.
Themes
Transmutation of Matter (3, 5)
Somatic Visualization (2, 6)
Ritual Expulsion (4)
Hierarchical Offering (3)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
AnuvādaA Ritual of Torma Cake Offerings to the Blue-Clad Vajrapāṇi·
In the language of India: Vajrapāṇinīlāmbaradhara-bali-vidhiḥ. In the language of Tibet: Phyag na rdo rje gos sngon can gyi gtor ma'i cho ga (The Ritual of the Torma Offering of Vajrapāṇi in Blue Robes). Homage to the noble Vajrapāṇi in Blue Robes!
In order to benefit practitioners, I shall explain the torma offering. Benefit and subjugation are the supreme and common [aims]. These are held to be the supreme secret and unsurpassed. One should understand the outer, inner, and common [offerings]. One should also understand the extensive, the concise, and the very concise. Subjugation should be understood as summoning, expelling, killing, suppressing, and burning.
Regarding the timing: the great [frequency] is the four great times; the medium is the three or two; the small is the regular [daily] or the great [monthly], which is twelve, four, or at least one. One should gather all the substances: the five roots and five branches, grains, fruits, medicines, cooked rice, porridge, cakes, and so forth. Upon that, the three white substances are auspicious for the nāgas. Blood, heart, and meat—these three and so forth are the substances for subjugation.
One should perform the practice according to the generation stage. Having performed the protection starting from the guru, one generates [the deity] through the three rituals, or for the small [practice], one generates the deity in an instant. In a lotus possessing the [proper] characteristics, fill it with all the substances. Visualize a blue vajra above, hollow and marked with the syllable HŪṂ. Within a span [of height] is the moon, marked by the sixteen and the seventh [syllables]. Between the vajra and the characteristics, there are the blue, red, and white [lights] of gathering, purifying, and radiating. Below the lotus are the three [deities] possessing the five wisdoms. Below the triangle is the crescent moon. From the radiating dark blue of the heart, [the light emanates].
The vajra-navel stirs the two extremes; the blazing red marks the qualified [vessel] and warms it. Gathered by the mind and purified by the speech, it radiates from the body to stir the rabbit [moon]. From the one possessing insight, light rays radiate; by these, the father and mother are stirred, and white-colored nectar is brought down. First, the stirrer melts below; from the hollow interior, it descends into the lotus. Following the descent, that very [nectar] falls. Circulating three times like milk, it is marked by the first of the fifth [vowels] and the fifth [consonant]. By that, the seat is generated and the retinue is summoned. With "Jihūṃ," the hollow interior of the vajra partakes of the nectar; imagine them being pleased. Alternatively, the white goddess, having filled the qualified [vessel], makes the offering. Having praised, confessed, and entrusted the activity, there are the extensive, the concise, and the very concise. Having done so, request them to depart. Alternatively, generate the deity in an instant and purify the nectar with the Hūṃ at the heart. Once again, bring down the wisdom nectar. In a mere moment, the emanated deity partakes; in a mere moment, through devotion, all three partake. The very concise is like that food. This is the first section: the application of benefiting.
As for the ritual of the summoning torma, all common rituals are in accordance with the common torma. To teach the specific torma: in terrifying charnel grounds, wearing very red garments, facing the western direction, generate the deity through either the three rituals or the five rituals. Whichever is appropriate, perform the blessing. As for the torma substances, upon the common substances...
Specifically, as for the substances, various types of rakta and the meat of winged creatures are auspicious. Having consecrated them, make offerings to the Sugatas; second, make offerings to the ḍākinīs; third, make offerings to the Dharma protectors; and fourth, satisfy all elemental spirits (bhūta). Alternatively, one should make offerings to both the mundane and the supramundane. As for the mantra, recite the root mantra with baliṃta kha kha khāhi khāhi seven or twenty-one times. The mantra of the ḍākinīs is: oṃ buddhaḍākinī vajraḍākinī ratnaḍākinī padmaḍākinī viśvaḍākinī samayaḍākinī sarvaḍākinī idaṃ baliṃta kha kha khāhi khāhi. Since the glorious protector Mahākāla is the chief of the supramundane ḍākinīs, he should be offered to by appending [his name] to the root mantra. Since the mundane protector Mahākāla is the chief of the directional guardians, his mantra should also be understood as being the same as above. The mantra of the directional guardians is indra, which accords with the collection of activities. The mantra for the bali offering to all elemental spirits should be performed with oṃ akāro mukhaṃ and so forth. Then, perform the praise and entrust the activities. By radiating light rays, clap the palms; by that, all are exhorted, and one should visualize the target being summoned. By repeating this a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, or a hundred thousand times, they will be summoned. This is the second section: the application for summoning. As for the application of the bali for expelling: all common rituals are in accordance with the common bali offerings. Most of the specific bali offerings as well—
This is the preliminary practice for expulsion. As for the teaching of the special oral instructions: on birch bark or on gro ga paper, draw the wind and the form of the target. Then, having been moved by light rays, moved by wrathful deities, and moved by the wind gods, one should be sent away to the very limits of space. This is the third preliminary practice, the offering cake for expulsion.
Suppression is also similar to the previous [practices]. The distinction is that one should perform a hundred thousand [visualizations of] Mount Meru, and a hundred thousand vajras and wrathful deities. The light rays and so forth should be applied according to other practices and oral instructions. This is the fourth preliminary practice, suppression.
Regarding killing, there is killing by wrathful deities, and killing by raining down weapons and so forth. The wise should apply other methods such as mantras, mudrās, and substances according to the oral instructions. This is the fifth preliminary practice, killing.
Regarding burning, one burns with the body, speech, and mind. Alternatively, one should understand the application of fire and so forth according to other practices. This is the sixth preliminary practice, burning.
Regarding the practice of binding, one should bind the wise by means of the application of body, speech, and mind, using the "linked chain" (lu gu rgyud), the noose, the iron shackles, and so forth. This is the seventh preliminary practice, binding.
Regarding the two, the nāgas and the kings, the special teaching on the offering cake is as follows: it is auspicious to use a vessel of silver, bell-metal, wood, or white clay. For the nāgas, various medicines, various grains, the five essences, and the three whites and three sweets are auspicious. In a beautiful vessel of precious gems, one should place the five precious gems, the five types of grain, fine silks, fruits, and so forth.
It is taught that this is auspicious for the king himself. Regarding the blessing of those two: upon the substances, visualize either HRĪḤ or HŪṂ. Through its light, the substances are incinerated; once purified of defects, imagine them as nectar. Then, in the palm of the right hand, which is in the gesture of supreme generosity, visualize a wish-fulfilling tree leaf arising from BHRŪṂ. In the midst of its branches, visualize a nectar vase arising from SI. Imagine that a stream of nectar falls from it into the palm and merges with the torma. Then, recite OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ three times. Then, visualize four lotuses in front of oneself. Then, by the light of the HŪṂ at one’s own heart, summon all the nāgas into the lotuses. Through the radiation of light rays, perform the purification and so forth. From the melting of all into light, they become emanations of the Sugatas’ bodies or deities of the Speech Family. Invite them, dissolve them, and confer empowerment. Then, visualize the tongue as a five-pronged vajra with a hollow tube; imagine that the nectar is drawn up and consumed by it. The mantra for the offering is: OṂ VASUKI BALIṂTA KHĀHI. This should be appended to the respective root mantras of the nāgas and offered. The mantra for requesting departure is VAJRA MUḤ; append this and request them to depart. The king should also be visualized as an emanation or as belonging to the Action Family. The latter is consistent; this should be understood through the pith instructions. This is the eighth section, the ritual application for the nāgas and the king. All of these are the outer [rituals]. As for the inner [rituals], since the torma is the food for the deities at the heart, one should bless it as nectar and offer it to the deities through meditative absorption.
That is the path of the yogi. According to the instructions on the mudrās and the mudrās themselves, this is the ninth section: the application of the inner torma offering.
The application of the secret torma offering is as follows: the navel is the lotus vessel of the torma. Upon that, on a moon disc, the kunda of bodhicitta, along with the nectars and other qualities, is taught to be the substances of the torma. Below that, through the movement of the blue wind, fire blazes and the nectar melts and descends. One makes offerings to the ḍākinīs of the wheels; through the pacification of conceptual thought, all activities are accomplished. This is the tenth section: the application of the secret torma offering.
The application of the unsurpassed torma offering is as follows: within the coemergent joy, the instructions for the perfection of all things are complete. This is the eleventh section: the application of the unsurpassed instructions.
Through the arrangement of these stages of the torma instructions, may I and all infinite sentient beings attain unsurpassed enlightenment. This concludes the work composed by the master Bhava. Translated, edited, and finalized by the translator-monk Tsultrim Zhönnu.
Translation status: Not among 84000's published translations, and not in progress there. Translations published elsewhere have not been searched for, so one may exist. (source: 84000 catalogue + registry; checked 2026-11-10).
Set in Newsreader and EB Garamond; Tibetan in Noto Serif Tibetan; Chinese in Noto Serif SC.