The phurba is also known as kīla. It is a ritual dagger used in Tibetan Tantric (Vajrayana) Buddhist rituals. The phurba plays a role in ceremonies surrounding the expulsion of demons, healing and (spiritual) protection of space. It symbolizes the dispelling of obstacles and ignorance.
Phurbas come from the Himalayan region. They normally have three sides that symbolize the spiritual worlds (upper, middle and underworld). Sometimes symbols are depicted such as the sun, moon, animals or geometric patterns.
