dsc_0562.jpgThe Nepalese Newar Buddhism’s core components are the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the dharma (Buddhist teachings and behavioral code), and the sangha (monastic community). Uniqueness of this iconography is that each of these elements is personified by a different figure: a Buddha (generally Shakyamuni Buddha), Prajnaparamita (the embodiment of perfect wisdom), and Avalokiteshvara (the embodiment of compassion) respectively. Newar Buddhist texts emphasize the efficacy of taking refuge in the Three Jewels, focusing on their authority and protective ability.