In Tibetan Buddhism, the pantheon of gods is mainly composed of deities from various faiths, including Indian Buddhism and Hinduism. In some cases, the characteristics of these religious groups are combined into a single god. Like their Hindu counterparts, the Buddhists have thousands of gods and demons. Each sect and village has its own pantheon of these spirits and demons. Due to the varying importance of these figures, religious rivalries are common.

There are also various types of protector deities, such as yidams and dakinis. They have both benign and malevolent manifestations. High mountains are believed to be the resting places of many of these figures. When Tibetans encounter a deity in the mountains, they shout “Victory to the gods!” to welcome them.