homa, also 護磨; 呼麼 described as originally a burnt offering to Heaven; the esoterics adopted the idea of worshipping with fire, symbolizing wisdom as fire burning up the faggots of passion and illusion; and therewith preparingnirvāṇaas food, etc.; cf. 大日經; four kinds of braziers are used, round, semi-circular, square, and octagonal; four, five, or six purposes are recorded i.e.śāntika, to end calamities;pauṣṭika(orpuṣṭikarman) for prosperity;vaśīkaraṇa, 'dominating,' intp. as calling down the good by means of enchantments;abhicaraka, exorcising the evil; a fifth is to obtain the loving protection of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas; a sixth dividespuṣṭikarmaninto two parts, the second part being length of life; each of these six has its controlling Buddha andbodhisattvas, and different forms and accessories of worship.