The Bön pantheon contains a great number of deities. Every Tantric ritual cycle in the Bonpo canon has its own complete set of divinities, method of visualization and worship. One classification divides the deities into three groups: the peaceful (zhi-ba), the wrathful (khro-bo) and the fierce (phur-pa). Also, Bonpo cosmogony describes groups of deities of Light and Darkness. (6) The highest ranking deities are Kuntu Zangpo (Kun-tu bzang-po), the Bonku (bon-sku), Shenlha Odkar (gShen-lha 'od- dkar), the Dzogku (rdzogs-sku: Perfect Sphere), and Tonpa Shenrab, the Tulku (sprul-sku) who is the teacher (sTon-pa) of the present world age. The most important female deity is Jamma (Byams-ma), the 'Loving Mother', also known as Satrig Ersang (Sa-trig er-sangs). There are also sets of 1,000 Buddhas and of the Buddhas of the three times (past, present and future). Among the guardian deities, known as the Protectors of the Word (bKa-skyong), the most important are Sidpa Gyalmo (Srid-pa'i Gyal-mo, 'Queen of Existence', the female guardian of the Bonpo teachings), Midu or Midud Jampa Trago (Mi-bdud 'byams-pa khrag-mgo, the male guardian of Menri monastery) and Tsangod Hurpa (bTsan-rgod hur-pa).

The most general division of the deities is that which distinguishes between the supra-mundane gods of the higher spheres ('Jig-rten las' das-pa'i lha) and the demi-gods and minor deities who remain active in this world ('Jig-rten pa'i lha).
To the latter group belong a whole host of mountain gods, local gods (Sa-bdag), evil demons (gNyen), female demons (Ma-mo) and other spirits such as the 'Dre, Sri, kLu, etc.