If Namtars do not justify a literal chronology of events, how could they function as a kind of learning example that hits the key points of the yogi's spiritual life?
Such a text would serve as an example of buddhahood for any practitioner of Vajrayana and complement the tantras in imparting instructions on specific tantric spiritual practices.
In her book Women of Wisdom, Tsultrim Allione voices it thus: The sacred biography is called 'rNam.thar' in Tibetan, which literally means 'complete liberation.'
Establishing a mythical ideal and the communication of the sacred teachings takes precedence over providing a narrative portrait or "likeness" of the subject as a personality.
[5][4] Willis however defends their historical value by arguing that the miraculous parts of the secret biography may be interpreted as a metaphor for tantric practice.