Current Scenario

After Khedrup Rinpoche took over the monastery in 2009, he initiated a project in March 2016 to renovate the 1200-year-old main Lhakhang and the construction of additional structure to make room for more monks. The entire project has been carefully segregated into different phases with a 5-year timeline with the intended date of consecration being 10th day of the 5th month of the Bhutanese lunar calendar in 2021. One small part of the project which is the construction of a hostel for the monks was completed in 2017 and has since been the only hostel providing lodging facilities to the monks in the Monastery.

Today, the monastery is home to 40 monks, few teachers, and a Khenpo. With only temporary or poor housing structure and an increasing number of monks each year, the monastery faces a chronic shortage of infrastructural facilities among other things. Due to this, many of the monks from the monastery have to be sent to other monasteries.

In light of this shortage of infrastructure and to address an issue that will only escalate with time, Rinpoche crafted a vision to transform Sangchen Ogyen Tsuklag Monastery into a thriving center for learning and practicing Dharma. Rinpoche intends to develop the Monastery into a supportive and compassionate environment where both monks and laymen can study and practice Dharma. Currently, Rinpoche has only secured partial funds to construct one of the three hostels.

 

Objectives

The immediate objectives of the Sangchen Ogyen Tsuklag Monastery Project are:
• To renovate and restore the sacred Rephel Mindrol Monastery.
• To construct new hostels and academic buildings to improve the quality of life in the Monastery.
• To develop a thriving Academy for all Buddhist’s and laymen alike to learn and practice Buddhism.

 

Why Renovate?

The Sangchen Ogyen Tsuklag Monastery is important from a historical and religious point of view. Apart from having been blessed by Guru Rinpoche and Khandro Tashi Khyidren, it was also the seat of many important masters over the centuries.

The wall paintings inside the monastery are sacred and unique in the sense that it was crafted directly onto the walls which was during a time when painting on fabric was not introduced, due to which the paintings are now slowly fading.

The main statue of the monastery is a Buddha statue which is believed to be a spoken Buddha statue. It was built by Trulku Chogden Gompo, the reincarnation of the Great Terton Dorji Lingpa and the heart son of Pema Lingpa.

The monastery also holds the treasure bell of Terton Sherab Mebar.

The monastery has been one of the most important worship place for most Bhutanese people over the centuries.