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The Je Khenpo is the seniormost religious authority of Bhutan, responsible for the Zhung Dratshang or Central Monastic Body. Under the Je Khenpo are Five Senior Lopens or Lopen Lhengye. Out of the Five Senior Lopens, Dorji Lopen is the senior-most and is the representative of the Je Khenpo. The Je Khenpo is also the head of the Dratshang Lhentshog or The Commission of Monastic Affairs, which is a government body that oversees the administrative management of the Zhung Dratshang or Central Monastic Body. They are appointed to their positions and are responsible for overseeing monastic education, managing religious institutions, acting in an advisory position to the leader of the country, and conducting rituals necessary for the protection and perpetuation of the Bhutanese state. Since the First Je Khenpo, Pekar Jungne, seventy Je Khenpo have served Bhutan. The current Je Khenpo, Jigme Chodra, has held this post since 1996.

Abbots & Officers

Je Khenpo

1. First Je Khenpo pad dkar 'byung gnas 1651 - 1672
2. Second Je Khenpo Sonam Wozer 1672 - 1689
3. Third Je Khenpo pad dkar lhun grub 1689 - 1697
4. Fourth Je Khenpo Damcho Pekar 1697 - 1707
5. Fifth Je Khenpo bzod pa 'phrin las 1707 - 1724
6. Sixth Je Khenpo ngag dbang lhun grub 1724 - 1730
7. Seventh Je Khenpo ngag dbang 'phrin las 1730 - 1738
8. Eighth Je Khenpo bstan 'dzin nor bu -
9. Ninth Je Khenpo Shakya Rinchen -
10. Tenth Je Khenpo bstan 'dzin chos rgyal 1755 - 1762
11. Eleventh Je Khenpo ngag dbang 'phrin las 1762 - 1769
12. Twelfth Je Khenpo Kunga Gyatso 1769 - 1771
13. Thirteenth Je Khenpo Yonten Taye 1771 - 1775
14. Fourteenth Je Khenpo bstan 'dzin rnam rgyal 1775 - 1781
15. Fifteenth Je Khenpo kun bzang rgyal mtshan 1781 - 1784
16. Sixteenth Je Khenpo Sherab Sengge 1784 - 1791
17. Seventeenth Je Khenpo Yeshe Dorje 1791 - 1797
18. Eighteenth Je Khenpo 'jam dbyangs rgyal mtshan 1797 - 1803
19. Nineteenth Je Khenpo ngag dbang chos rgyal 1803 - 1807
20. Twentieth Je Khenpo Yeshe Gyeltsen 1807 - 1811
21. Twenty-first Je Khenpo 'jam dpal grags pa 1811 - 1816
22. Twenty-second Je Khenpo 'jigs med rgyal mtshan 1816 - 1826
23. Twenty-third Je Khenpo 'jam dpal grags pa 1826 - 1831
24. Twenty-fourth Je Khenpo shAkya rgyal mtshan 1831 - 1836
25. Twenty-fifth Je Khenpo Sherab Gyeltsen 1836 - 1839
26. Twenty-sixth Je Khenpo yon tan rgya mtsho 1839 - 1840
27. Twenty-seventh Je Khenpo pad+ma bzang po 1840 - 1847
28. Twenty-eighth Je Khenpo rin chen bzang po 1847 - 1848
29. Twenty-ninth Je Khenpo pad+ma bzang po 1848 - 1850
30. Thirtieth Je Khenpo 'jam dpal rgya mtsho 1850 - 1851
31. Thirty-first Je Khenpo yon tan rgyal mtshan 1851 - 1858
32. Thirty-second Je Khenpo tshul khrims rgyal mtshan 1858 - 1860
33. Thirty-third Je Khenpo kun dga' dpal 'byor 1860 - 1861
34. Thirty-fourth Je Khenpo bshad sgrub 'od zer 1861 - 1865
35. Thirty-fifth Je Khenpo shAkya rgyal mtshan 1865 - 1869
36. Thirty-sixth Je Khenpo yon tan dpal bzang 1869 - 1873
37. Thirty-seventh Je Khenpo kun dga' seng+ge 1873 - 1875
38. Thirty-eighth Je Khenpo shAkya rgyal mtshan -
39. Thirty-ninth Je Khenpo blo gros rgyal mtshan 1875 - 1878
40. Fortieth Je Khenpo pad dkar 'od zer 1878 - 1881
41. Forty-first Je Khenpo ngag dbang don ldan 1881 - 1886
42. Forty-second Je Khenpo 'phrin las rgyal mtshan 1886 - 1888
43. Forty-third Je Khenpo bstan 'dzin lhun grub 1888 - 1889
44. Forty-fourth Je Khenpo 'phrin las rgyal mtshan 1889 - 1891
45. Forty-fifth Je Khenpo 'phrin las rgya mtsho 1891 - 1894
46. Forty-sixth Je Khenpo dam chos rgyal mtshan 1894 - 1899
47. Forty-seventh Je Khenpo shes rab lhun grub 1899 - 1901
48. Forty-eighth Je Khenpo 'jam dbyangs rin chen 1901 - 1903
49. Forty-ninth Je Khenpo rig 'dzin snying po 1903 - 1907
50. Fiftieth Je Khenpo 'jam dpal bshes gnyen 1907 - 1909
51. Fifty-first Je Khenpo byams pa'i stobs bzang 1909 - 1912
52. Fifty-second Je Khenpo dpal ldan seng+ge 1912 - 1915
53. Fifty-third Je Khenpo Yeshe Ngodrub 1915 - 1917
54. Fifty-fourth Je Khenpo ye shes zla ba 1917 - 1918
55. Fifty-fifth Je Khenpo dpal ldan seng+ge 1918 - 1919
56. Fifty-sixth Je Khenpo mi pham dbang po 1919 - 1922
57. Fifty-seventh Je Khenpo ngag dbang rgyal mtshan 1922 - 1927
58. Fifty-eighth Je Khenpo srid zhi rnam rgyal 1927 - 1931
59. Fifty-ninth Je Khenpo chos kyi dbang phyug 1931 - 1940
60. Sixtieth Je Khenpo ngag dbang 'phrin las 1940 - 1946
61. Sixty-first Je Khenpo bsam gtan rgya mtsho 1946 - 1955
62. Sixty-second Je Khenpo yon tan brtson 'grus 1955 - 1956
63. Sixty-third Je Khenpo 'phrin las lhun grub 1956 - 1961
64. Sixty-fourth Je Khenpo bsam gtan dpal bzang 1961 - 1965
65. Sixty-fifth Je Khenpo ye shes seng+ge 1965 - 1968
66. Sixty-sixth Je Khenpo kun dga' 1968 - 1971
67. Sixty-seventh Je Khenpo yon tan 'phrin las 1986 -
68. Sixty-eighth Je Khenpo bstan 'dzin don kun sgrub pa'i sde 1986 - 1990
69. Sixty-ninth Je Khenpo dge 'dun rin chen 1990 - 1996
70. Seventieth Je Khenpo 'jigs med chos grags 1996 -

Biographies

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