| abstract | - The Three Jewels, also called the Three Treasures, the Three Refuges, or the Triple Gem, are the three things that Buddhists take refuge in, and look toward for guidance, in the process known as taking refuge. The Three Jewels are:
* Buddha (Sanskrit, Pali: The Enlightened or Awakened One; Chn: 佛陀, Fótuó, Jpn: 仏, Butsu, Tib: sangs-rgyas, Mong: burqan), who, depending on one's interpretation, can mean the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, or the Buddha nature—the ideal or highest spiritual potential that exists within all beings;
* Dharma (Sanskrit: The Teaching; Pali: Dhamma, Chn: 法, Fǎ, Jpn: Hō, Tib: chos, Mong: nom), the teachings of the Buddha.
* Sangha (Sanskrit, Pali: The Community; Chn: 僧, Sēng, Jpn: Sō, Tib: dge-'dun, Mong: quvaraɣ), The community of those who have attained enlightenment, who may help a practicing Buddhist to do the same. Also used more broadly to refer to the community of practicing Buddhists.
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