Pekar Jungne

Pekar Jungne (also Pekar Jungney; died 1672) was the first Je Khenpo (Chief Abbot) of Bhutan, appointed by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to lead the newly established Central Monastic Body (Dratshang Lhentshog). A member of the Changangkha Choje nobility of Thimphu, he presided over the first sangha of 30 monks at Chari Dorjiden monastery from 1620 and later oversaw the community's expansion to 600 monks at Punakha Dzong. His appointment established the Je Khenpo institution, which to this day remains unique in that the position is granted by merit and election rather than by reincarnation lineage.^[1]

Background

Pekar Jungne came from the Changangkha Choje nobility, one of the prominent religious families of the Thimphu valley. The Changangkha family had long been associated with the Changangkha Lhakhang, one of the oldest and most important temples in Thimphu. His aristocratic and religious lineage made him a natural choice for the highest ecclesiastical position in the new state that Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal was building.^[2]

Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal regarded Pekar Jungne as one of his four principal disciples, charged with preserving and propagating the Drukpa Kagyu tradition in Bhutan. He is referred to in historical texts as "the great Arhat (Neten Chenpo) Pekar Jungne," a title reflecting his spiritual stature.^[3]

Establishment of the First Sangha (1620)

In 1620, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal completed the first monastic centre at Chari Dorjiden, situated approximately 14 kilometres north of Thimphu. He instituted the first sangha (monastic community) with just 30 monks, appointing Pekar Jungne as its chief abbot — the first Je Khenpo, also known by the title Sangharaja (King of the Sangha). This event is regarded as the foundation of the organised monastic system in Bhutan and a cornerstone of the nation's religious and political identity.^[4]

Expansion to Punakha Dzong

When Punakha Dzong was completed in 1637, the monastic community had grown substantially from its original 30 members to approximately 600 monks. Under Pekar Jungne's leadership, the sangha relocated to Punakha Dzong, establishing the pattern — maintained to this day — of the Central Monastic Body residing in Punakha during the winter months and moving to Thimphu's Tashichho Dzong during summer. This biannual migration remains one of the most distinctive features of Bhutan's monastic tradition.^[5]

The Je Khenpo Institution

The position established by Pekar Jungne's appointment became one of the two pillars of Bhutan's historic dual system of governance, in which power was divided between the religious branch, headed by the Je Khenpo, and the administrative branch, headed by the Druk Desi (secular ruler). This system was conceived by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and persisted, in various forms, until the establishment of the monarchy in 1907.^[6]

Crucially, the Je Khenpo position has never operated through a reincarnation lineage — unlike the Dalai Lama of Tibet or the Gyalwang Drukpa. Instead, the position is granted on merit by election, typically given to the most respected and senior monk in the Dratshang Lhentshog. The Je Khenpo has never been a child; the holder has always been a seasoned monk of considerable learning and experience. This meritocratic principle, established from the time of Pekar Jungne, distinguishes the Bhutanese system from other Buddhist hierarchies in the Himalayan region.^[7]

Death and Legacy

Pekar Jungne served as Je Khenpo for approximately half a century until his death in 1672, making his one of the longest tenures in the institution's history. He was succeeded by a line of Je Khenpos that continues to the present day; as of 2024, the 71st Je Khenpo, Trulku Jigme Choedra, holds the position. The institution Pekar Jungne helped establish remains central to Bhutanese national life, with the Je Khenpo enjoying status equal to that of the King in religious matters and presiding over the spiritual welfare of the nation.^[8]

References

1. "Je Khenpo." Wikipedia.
2. "Je Khenpo: Bhutan's Chief Abbot." University of Virginia Mandala Texts.
3. "A Brief Historical Background of the Religious Institutions of Bhutan." NTU Buddhism Library.
4. "A Brief Historical Background of the Religious Institutions of Bhutan." NTU Buddhism Library.
5. "Je Khenpo." Wikipedia.
6. "Je Khenpo." Wikipedia.
7. "Je Khenpo." Wikipedia.
8. "Je Khenpo." Wikipedia.

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