What is a phurba and what is it used for in Tibetan ritual practice?
The phurba is a three-sided ritual dagger from the Tibetan tradition. Like the kartika, it belongs to those objects that seem puzzling at first sight. Once you know its meaning, you recognise in it one of the strongest symbols of protection in Tibetan Buddhism.
The name phurba means peg or nail in Tibetan. The term points directly to its ritual function. The phurba is used to overcome and pin down negative energies, obstacles and harmful forces, like a nail that fixes something in place. In ritual practice it is driven into the ground or held in the hand while mantras are spoken. It protects the sacred space and drives away whatever disturbs the practice.
The form of the phurba is distinctive and immediately recognisable. The handle often shows the face of a deity, frequently Hayagriva or Vajrakilaya, the deity most closely associated with the phurba. The shaft is three-sided and tapers towards the point. This triangular form symbolises the overcoming of the three poisons of mind: ignorance, attachment and aversion.
Phurba are made from brass, bronze, iron and wood. Iron phurba are considered particularly powerful and are preferred in serious ritual contexts. Brass phurba are more accessible and suit the altar or a collection well.
The phurba is an object for people who engage deeply with Tibetan ritual practice. Its energy is direct and forceful. At tibet-markets.ch we carry phurba in various materials and sizes, carefully chosen for quality, finishing and iconographic correctness.
