Eight Classes of Gods and Demons

• Eight Classes of Gods and Demons — lha srin sde brgyad, according to the sutras they are the devas, nagas, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, who were all able to receive and practice the Buddha's teachings. These eight classes can also refer to eight types of mundane spirits that can help or harm, but are invisible to human beings: ging, mara, tsen, yaksha, rakshasa, mamo, rahula and naga. [AJP] from The Great Image ISBN 1-59030-069-6