This study examines the core iconographic elements of the Buddhist monasteries in Nepal and their relationship to the religion and ritual practices of the Newar Buddhists. Based on original field research conducted in the Kathmandu Valley, I have identified three major iconographic themes were widespread and prevalent. These are the Svayambhū Mahācaitya, the Dharmadhātu Mandala, and the Cakrasam˙vara Mandala, which are manifest in the monasteries as three mandatory architectural elements: the principal vivifying stūpa; the exoteric shrine of the principal deity of the monastery; and, the secret esoteric shrine to the Tantric deity. The study analyzes their symbolic meaning and explores how these iconographic components serve as visual metaphors to express the fundamental constructs of the religion.
The findings suggest that the core iconographic program is unique to Newar Buddhist context, reflecting the essential ideological frameworks of the religion. Specifically, the three components are conceived of as a hierarchic progression, articulating the Newar Buddhist soteriological methodology of encompassing the "Three Ways" of Buddhism. By examining the constructions of sacred space, the key iconological constructs of Newar Buddhist art and religious practices are contextualized and defined through these visual symbols.
The analysis also explores the [special characters omitted] in the Newar Buddhism and situates the goddess tradition within the larger Tantric Buddhist soteriological framework. A key premise is to understand the [special characters omitted] tradition as a unifying theme to decipher the iconology of the core components. Further, the study proposes to establish the [special characters omitted] tradition as the ontological source of the Newar Buddhist religion.
