Je Khenpo

The Je Khenpo in 2010, at Punakha Dzong, in a saffron kabney

The Je Khenpo (Tibetan: རྗེ་མཁན་པོ་, Wylie: Rje Mkhan-po ; "The Chief Abbot of the Central Monastic Body of Bhutan"^[1]), formerly called the Dharma Raj by orientalists, is the title given to the senior religious hierarch of Bhutan. His primary duty is to lead the Dratshang Lhentshog (Commission for the Monastic Affairs) of Bhutan, which oversees the Central Monastic Body, and to arbitrate on matters of doctrine, assisted by lopons (learned masters).^[2] The Je Khenpo is also responsible for many important liturgical and religious duties across the country. The sitting Je Khenpo is also formally the leader of the southern branch of the Drukpa Kagyu sect, which is part of the Kagyu tradition of Himalayan Buddhism. Aside from the King of Bhutan, only the Je Khenpo may don a saffron kabney.^[3]

History

According to the dual system of government established by Ngawang Namgyal in the 17th century, the powers of the government of Bhutan are ideally split between the religious branch, headed by the Je Khenpo, and the administrative branch, headed by the Druk Desi.^[4] The position of Je Khenpo is granted on merit by election, and typically is given to the most respected monk in the Dratshang Lhentshog (Commission for the Monastic Affairs). Thus, unlike reincarnation lineages such as the Dalai Lama, Zhabdrung Rinpoche, or Panchen Lama, the position of Je Khenpo is never held by a child but always by a seasoned monk.

Historically, the role of the Je Khenpo was quite powerful. The Je Khenpo and Druk Desi collaborated to disempower the office of the Zhabdrung through finding multiple incarnations of various aspects of the Zhabdrung; both the Je Khenpo and the Druk Desi wanted to retain the power they had accrued through the dual system of government.^[5] However, since the establishment of the monarchy in 1907, the relative influence of the Je Khenpo has diminished. Nonetheless, the position remains a powerful one and the Je Khenpo is typically viewed as the closest and most powerful advisor to the King of Bhutan.

The 67th Je Khenpo, Ngawang Thinley Lhundup, died at the age of 84 on 10 June 2005. He was noted as a strict disciplinarian who would not compromise any rules in managing the Central Monsatic Body. In addition to his position as Je Khenpo, he was recognized as the tulku of Nyizergang, the seat of the tertön Woogpa Lingpa, in Wangdue Phodrang Province.

The 70th and present Je Khenpo is tulku Jigme Chhoeda. He is believed to be the reincarnation of Maitreya as well as the mahasiddha Saraha, Hungchen Kara, Kheuchung Lotsawa, and Pema Tsering.

In 2008, the office of the Je Khenpo was codified as part of the Constitution of Bhutan. Under Article 3 Section 4, the King appoints the Je Khenpo as the spiritual leader of Bhutan on the recommendation of the Five Lopons. In turn, the Je Khenpo appoints, on the recommendation of the Dratshang Lhentshog (Commission for the Monastic Affairs), monks with the nine qualities of a spiritual master and accomplished in ked-dzog (stages of development and completion in Vajrayana practice) as the Five Lopons.^[1]

List of Je Khenpos

17th century Number Name Tenure 1 Pekar Jungney ? – 1672 2 Sonam Ozer 1672 – 1689 3 Pekar Lhündrup 1689 – 1697 4 Damchö Pekar 1697 – 1707 18th century Number Name Tenure 5 Zödpa Thinley[6] 1707 – 1724 6 Ngawang Lhündrup[7] 1724 – 1730 7 Ngawang Thinley 1730 – 1738 8 Tenzin Norbu 1738 – 1744 9 Shākya Rinchen[8] 1744 – 1755 10 Tenzin Chögyal 1755 – 1762 11 Ngawang Thinley[9] 1762 – 1769 12 Kunga Jamtsho[10] 1769 – 1771 13 Yönten Thaye[11] 1771 – 1775 14 Tenzin Namgyal 1775 – 1781 15 Kunzang Gyaltsen 1781 – 1784 16 Sherab Singye[12] 1784 – 1791 17 Jamgön Yeshi Dorji[13] 1791 – 1797 18 Jamyang Gyaltshen 1797 – 1803 19th century Number Name Tenure 19 Ngawang Chögyal 1803 – 1807 20 Yeshey Gyaltshen 1807 – 1811 21 Jampyel Drakpa 1811 – 1816 22 Jigme Gyaltsen 1816 – 1826 23 Jampyel Drakpa 1826 – 1831 24 Shākya Gyaltsen [14] 1831 – 1836 25 Sherab Gyaltsen 1836 – 1839 26 Yönten Jamtsho 1839 – 1840 27 Pema Zangpo 1840 – 1847 28 Rinchen Zangpo 1847 – 1848 29 Pema Zangpo 1848 – 1850 30 Jampyel Jamtsho 1850 – 1851 31 Yönten Gyaltsen 1851 – 1858 32 Tshultrim Gyaltsen 1858 – 1860 33 Künga Peljor 1860 – 1861 34 Shedrup Ozer 1861 – 1865 35 Shakya Gyaltsen 1865 – 1869 36 Yönten Pelzang 1869 – 1873 37 Künga Singye 1873 – 1875 38 Shākya Gyaltsen 1875 – 1875 39 Lodrö Gyaltsen 1875 – 1878 40 Pekar Ozer 1878 – 1881 41 Ngawang Dönden 1881 – 1886 42 Thinley Gyaltsen 1886 – 1888 43 Tenzin Lhündrup 1888 – 1889 44 Thinley Gyaltsen 1889 – 1891 45 Thinley Jamtsho 1891 – 1894 46 Damchö Gyaltsen 1894 – 1899 47 Sherab Lhündrup 1899 – 1901

20th century Number Name Tenure 48 Jamyang Rinchhen 1901 – 1903 49 Rigzin Nyingpo 1903 – 1907 50 Jampyel Shenyen 1907 – 1909 51 Jampai Tobzang 1909 – 1912 52 Pelden Singye 1912 – 1915 53 Yeshey Ngödrup 1915 – 1917 54 Yeshey Dawa 1917 – 1918 55 Pelden Singye 1918 – 1918 56 Mipham Wangpo 1919 – 1922 57 Ngawang Gyaltsen 1922 – 1927 58 Sidzhe Namgyal [15] 1927 – 1931 59 Chökyi Wangchuk 1931 – 1940 60 Ngawang Thinley 1940 – 1946 61 Samten Jamtsho 1946 – 1955 62 Yönten Tsündu 1955 – 1956 63 Thinley Lhündrup 1956 – 1961 64 Samten Pelzang 1961 – 1965 65 Yeshey Singye 1965 – 1968 66 Yönten Tarchen 1968 – 1971 67 Nyizer Thinley Lhendrup 1971 –1986 68 Tenzin Dundrup 1986 – 1990 69 Gendün Rinchen 1990 – 1996 70 Trulku Jigme Chhoedra 1996 – present 21st century Number Name Tenure 70 Trulku Jigme Chhoedra 1996 – present

See also

• Buddhism in Bhutan
• Constitution of Bhutan
• Dual system of government
• Khenpo

References

1. "Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan (English)" (PDF). Government of Bhutan. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 2010-10-13.
2. Worden, Robert L.; Savada, Andrea Matles (ed.) (1991). "Chapter 6 - Bhutan: Religious Tradition". Nepal and Bhutan: Country Studies (3rd ed.). Federal Research Division, United States Library of Congress. ISBN 0-8444-0777-1. Retrieved 2010-11-02.
3. Worden, Robert L.; Savada, Andrea Matles (ed.) (1991). "Chapter 6 - Bhutan: Social System". Nepal and Bhutan: Country Studies (3rd ed.). Federal Research Division, United States Library of Congress. ISBN 0-8444-0777-1. Retrieved 2010-11-02.
4. Worden, Robert L.; Savada, Andrea Matles (ed.) (1991). "Chapter 6 - Bhutan: Theocratic Government, 1616-1907". Nepal and Bhutan: Country Studies (3rd ed.). Federal Research Division, United States Library of Congress. ISBN 0-8444-0777-1. Retrieved 2010-11-02.
5. Worden, Robert L.; Savada, Andrea Matles (ed.) (1991). "Chapter 6 - Bhutan: Administrative Integration and Conflict with Tibet, 1651–1728". Nepal and Bhutan: Country Studies (3rd ed.). Federal Research Division, United States Library of Congress. ISBN 0-8444-0777-1. Retrieved 2010-11-02.
6. "bzod pa 'phrin las". TBRC. Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center.
7. "ngag dbang lhun grub". TBRC. Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center.
8. "shAkya rin chen". TBRC. Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center.
9. "ngag dbang 'phrin las". TBRC. Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center.
10. "kun dga' rgya mtsho". TBRC. Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center.
11. "yon tan mtha' yas". TBRC. Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center.
12. "shes rab seng+ge". TBRC. Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center.
13. "ye shes rdo rje". TBRC. Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center.
14. "shAkya rgyal mtshan". TBRC. Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center.
15. "srid zhi rnam rgyal". TBRC. Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center.