Eight Great Naga Kings

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The Eight Great Nāga Kings (Skt. nāgarāja, Tib. ཀླུའི་རྒྱལ་པོ་ཆེན་པོ་བརྒྱད་, Wyl. klu'i rgyal po chen po brgyad) — a list of great nāga kings, who where amongst the audience when Buddha Shakyamuni taught the dharma. They are frequently mentioned in Vajrayana practices.

The Great Tibetan Dictionary give the following list, while admitting there are other lists as well:

1. Vāsuki (Tib. Norgyé, Wyl. nor rgyas)
2. Padma (Tib. Pema, Wyl. pad ma)
3. Karkoṭaka (Tib. Tobgyu, Wyl. stobs rgyu)
4. Takṣaka (Tib. Jokpo, Wyl. 'jog po)
5. Mahāpadma (Tib. Pema chenpo, Wyl. pad ma chen po)
6. Śaṅkhapāla (Tib. Dungkyong, Wyl. dung skyong)
7. Kulika (Tib. Rikden, Wyl. rigs ldan)
8. Ananta (Tib. Tayé,Wyl. mtha' yas )

Further Reading

  • Beer, Robert. "The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs." Boston: Shambala, 1999.