The eight classes of gods and demons (Tibetan: à ½£à ¾·à ¼Âà ½¦à ¾²à ½²à ½Âà ¼Âà ½¦à ¾¡à ½ºà ¼Âà ½Âà ½¢à ¾Âà ¾±à ½Âà ¼Â, lha srin sde brgyad) are a traditional classification of supernatural beings in Tibetan Buddhism and Bön. These entitiesâÂÂsometimes gods, sometimes demonsâÂÂare believed to inhabit the natural and spiritual world and can have both benevolent and malevolent influence over human life.
The term "eight classes of gods and demons" refers to a fluid category of worldly spirits in Tibetan Buddhism and Bön, whose precise composition can vary depending on lineage, ritual purpose, or textual source. Originally grounded in indigenous Tibetan cosmology, the list of eight was later overlaid with Indian Buddhist terminology, resulting in partial overlaps with Sanskrit spirit-classes such as yaká¹£a, nÃÂga, and rÃÂká¹£asa. In some ritual contexts, this merger has led to expanded enumerations of ten, eleven, or even sixteen classes, as additional spirit types were integrated to preserve both systems. Despite these variations, the core eight are widely recognized in Tibetan ritual literature and continue to play a central role in offerings, exorcisms, and protector practices.
These beings are invoked or warded against in a wide variety of Tibetan ritual contexts, including spirit offerings, exorcisms, protective rites, and tantric practices. Though the list varies somewhat, the eight classes commonly include:
In tantric Buddhism, some of these beings are seen as worldly protectors (dharmapÃÂlas) after being ritually subdued or converted to the Dharma. In other cases, they are treated as obstacles to be pacified or expelled.