Phagchok Samdrupcholling Gonpa - The Foremost Institute in Shingkhar Lauri

According to the prophecy and prediction from H.H Dudjom Rinpoche Jigdrel Yeshi dorji, Lama Rinpoche Kuenzang Namdrol also known as Sangye Wangdue migrated to a rural place in the country known as Phagchu in Eastern Bhutan. Buddhism was not flourishing in this area at the time. Seeing it as an opportunity to help these sentient beings to wake up from the deep sleep of ignorance and clear away all their misconceptions, Lama Rinpoche with a few devoted households started to build a monastery in the year 1973.

This endeavour proved to be beneficial for all beings and particularly for the people in the Phagchu community. In the beginning, there were around 15 lay monks receiving teachings from Lama Rinpoche. All the necessary accommodations like food, clothing and shelter were provided by Lama Rinpoche himself.

After numerous difficulties and hardships, Lama Rinpoche along with a few supporters completed the construction of the monastery in Phagchu, known as Phagchok Samdrup Chollling Gonpa. Gradually, the number of monks increased, and so did the number of people practising Buddhism and its traditions.

Dynamic Buddhist concepts like surrendering one’s own precious life for the sake of practising Buddhism and putting ahead others’ well-being before one’s own were highly regarded by Lama Rinpoche and instructed to follow it accordingly. Lama Rinpoche went door to door personally to beg alms to keep the lay monks and the monastery running. This tradition has been upheld by his four sons since the day after his nirvana in 2007.

The monks in the Monastery are taught the traditions of Pelling and Dudjom Terser. Some of these unique traditions include masks dances, paintings, sculptures, rituals and ceremonies. They are also given the initiations, empowerments and teachings on Ngondro, Tsasum Nyenpa and Dzogchen Tradition. Thus, in this way, both relative and ultimate wishes of the monks are fulfilled as the ordinary teachings while secret teachings are also taken care of respectively. The tradition of Pelling was introduced in the past but not practised effectively in the villages. It was reinstated by Lama Rinpoche and because of this, the Phagchok Monastery came to be known as the Mother Source of Pelling Tradition. The Dudjom Terser tradition was reintroduced in the monastery without any imperfections whereby the monastery also became the upholder of two secret traditions.

Meanwhile, Lama Rinpoche Kuenzang Dorji, the eldest son of Lama Rinpoche matured enough to take part with his father in developing the monastery Lama Rinpoche Kuenzang Dorji took sole responsibility of introducing DudjomTerser tradition in the Monastery after his return from Jangsa Gonpa in Kalimpong, West India.

Slowly the number of monks joining the monastery increased and presently, about 200 monks are studying, meditating and performing rituals and ceremonies for the welfare of all sentient beings!