Karmapa on the significance of the tormas created for the 26th Kagyu Monlam

Here is a video montage featuring excerpts of a talk by His Holiness, the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, in which he explained the significance of the tormas created for the 26th Kagyu Monlam (filmed in Bodhgaya, India in 2009). The text below is followed by a link to the transcript of the entire teaching: A Talk on the Relationship Between Masters and Disciples.

Excerpts from “A Talk on the Relationship Between Masters and Disciples:”

“We have expanded a number of the features of the site where we are holding the twenty-sixth Kagyu Monlam, including the main gates and so forth, and I thought it would be good to briefly point out what the tormas represent. The main decorative tormas are those with images of Marpa, Milarepa, and Gampopa on the right, and on the left, those with images of the forebears of the Nyingma school of the early translations, the glorious Sakya lineage, and the Gelukpa order.

The main principle these tormas illustrate is that when we consider the Tibetan Buddhist teachings, there are basically no lineages that are not mixed with the others. When the three Dharma kings Songsten Gampo, Trisong Deutsen, and Tri Ralpachen first established the Dharma in Tibet, the lineage that emerged at that time became known as the “Nyingma school of secret mantra.” Thus the Nyingma was Tibet’s first Buddhist lineage. Later on, during the reign of King Langdarma, the teachings were wiped out of Tibet, and the later propagation of the teachings began. That is the difference between the Nyingma and Sarma vajrayana schools.

Then the oral lineage of the Kadampa masters was passed down from the glorious Atisha, and the Sakya, Kagyu, and Geluk lineages successively appeared. The stages of the teachings of all of these lineages, along with their basic starting points, are the same. The different individual lineages arose out of different lineages of lamas and instructions, but fundamentally there is not even a single lineage that is not mixed with the others. In sum, all Tibetan lineages have been passed down intermingled with the others—all of them share Dharma connections and connections of samaya….”

“Therefore the presence of images of the root and lineage gurus from all of the Tibetan Buddhist lineages here today means that all Tibetan Buddhist lineages are nothing other than the teachings of the Buddha: They are all the same….”

For the entire teaching see link below:

A Talk on the Relationship between Masters and Disciples

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Wax Butter Color Palette

This clip shows the color palette used by one of the torma artists working in Bodhgaya on the Kagyu Monlam tormas.

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Making Shalzes in Bodhgaya

Karma Kagyu monks make shalzes out of the torma dough for the International Kagyu Monlam for World Peace held annually in Bodhgaya. Shalzes are considered to be sacred food offerings for the deities. Filmed in Bodhgaya in December 2008 by Ko Jung-Fa and Cynthia Chao.

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His Holiness, the 17th Karmapa Discusses Torma Shapes and Colors

His Holiness Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, discusses the origins and diversity of torma shapes and colors for the film Torma: The Ancient Art of Tibetan Butter Sculpture. Filmed in Bodhgaya, India, in 2008-09 by cinematographers Ko Jung-Fa and Cynthia Chao.

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Making Wax Butter in Bodhgaya, Part 4

Monks and nuns worked hard to prepare the materials necessary for making butter sculptures for the International Kagyu Monlam in Bodhgaya, India. This footage was shot in 2008 by Ko Jung-Fa and Cynthia Chao and depicts the fourth stage in the laborious four-part process of preparing wax butter for sculpting butter tormas.

After the pastry margarine is thoroughly kneaded into the wax butter, oil colors are added to create the color palette.

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Making Wax Butter in Bodhgaya, Part 3

Monks and nuns worked hard to prepare the materials necessary for making butter sculptures for the International Kagyu Monlam in Bodhgaya, India. This footage was shot in 2008 by Ko Jung-Fa and depicts the third stage in the laborious four-part process of preparing wax butter for sculpting butter tormas.

After the wax butter (or margarine) mixture has been thoroughly kneaded, a new element is introduced: pastry margarine. This is added to the wax butter mix to refine the texture of the final product. The pastry margarine must be vigorously kneaded into the wax butter until completely blended.

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Making Wax Butter in Bodhgaya, Part 1

Monks and nuns worked hard to prepare the materials necessary for making butter sculptures for the International Kagyu Monlam in Bodhgaya, India. This footage was shot in 2008 by Ko Jung-Fa and depicts the first stage in the laborious four-part process of preparing wax butter for sculpting butter tormas.

Butter (or margarine) is melted in a large pot. Slabs of wax are added to the pot and thoroughly melted. Then the liquid wax-butter is poured into metal trays to cool and harden.

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27th Kagyu Monlam Special Report — The Tormas

http://www.kagyumonlam.org/English/News/Report/Report_20091224_3.html

December 24, 2009, Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya, report by Michele Martin; photos taken by Karma Lekcho and Karma Norbu.

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What is a torma?

Tor literally means to “scatter” or “throw” a small number of things or pieces.  The suffix ma means “mother” and implies compassion. A torma is an offering traditionally tossed outside after use in a ritual, both to symbolize impermanence and to develop the practice of generosity. But a torma is not only a ritual offering; it can function in a variety of other ways, for instance, as a physical representation of either the wisdom or activity aspect of a deity.

Filming at Benchen Monastery in Nepal

In February 2010, the Torma film crew met at Benchen Monastery in Swayambhu, Nepal and filmed an interview with Venerable Tenga Rinpoche, the Dorje Lopon (Vajra Master) of the Karma Kagyu Lineage. We also documented monks working on the tormas for the elaborate Mahakala protector rituals and dances held annually before Losar.

Here are some photos of a Mahakala torma that represents the activity aspect of the protector:

Monk sculpts image out of dough.

Monk applies black paint to the face.

Pink, white, red, and yellow colors are added.

The head is adorned with a crown of skulls.

This torma in the shape of a head (left) represents the activity aspect of the protector deity.

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