Lü
Classified among the eight classes of gods and demons, Lü (Skt. Nagas) are serpent spirits, sometimes considered animals or demi-gods. They dwell beneath the earth's surface—in water, trees, or rocks—and are believed to possess magical powers and wealth, while also causing certain illnesses in humans, including leprosy.
Already prominent in ancient Indian mythology, Lü later served as guardians of the Prajnaparamita in 100,000 lines, which the Buddha taught and which was later retrieved from the Lü realm by Nagarjuna. The Tibetan 'Lu' originally referred to indigenous concepts of ill-defined subterranean powers onto which Indian naga mythology was later overlaid, fusing these two traditions of supernatural beings.
In the Tröma Nakmo practice of the Düdjom Tersar, Lü is one of the five principal protectors.
Since the early 8th century, Tibetans and Himalayan people have treasured "Namtars" as written or spoken narratives that demonstrate the realization of the Buddhist path by exceptional practitioners. These namtars, or spiritual biographies, serve as inspirational guides on the path to enlightenment.
Today, Namtars Foundation aims to record, preserve, and freely offer the world a written and electronic treasury of the oral wisdom of Tibetan and Himalayan Buddhism.
