Chagri Monastery

Chagri Monastery, Bhutan

Chagri Dorjeden Monastery also called "Cheri Monastery" is a Buddhist monastery in Bhutan established in 1620, by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.^[1] the founder of the Butanese state.

The monastery, which is now a major teaching and retreat center of the Southern Drukpa Kagyu order, is located at the northern end of Thimphu Valley about fifteen kilometers from the capital. It sits on a hill above the end of the road at Dodeyna and it takes about an hours walk up the steep hill to reach the monastery from there.

According to Bhutanese religious histories, the place was first visited by Padmasambhava in the 8th century. In the 13th century it was visited by Phajo Drugom Zhigpo the Tibetan Lama who first established the Drukpa Kagyu tradition in Bhutan.

Chagri Monastery, Bhutan

Chagri Dorjeden was the first monastery established in Bhutan by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1620 when he was 27 years old. Zhabdrung spent three years in strict retreat at Chagri and resided there for many periods throughout the rest of his life. It was at Chagri in 1623 that he established the first Drukpa Kagyu monastic order in Bhutan.

References

1. ^ "His Holiness the Je Khenpo begins tour of southern and eastern dzongkhags". Kuensel Newspaper. March 6, 2004. http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=3804. Retrieved 2008-09-05. 

Sources

• Ardussi, John (2004); Formation of the State of Bhutan ('Brug gzhung) in the 17th Century and its Tibetan Antecedents in Journal of Bhutan Studies, Vol 11 2004, Centre for Bhutan Studies, Thimphu.
• Dargye, Yonten and Sørensen, P.K. (2001); The Biography of Pha 'Brug-sgom Zhig-po called The Current of Compassion. Thumphu: National Library of Bhutan. ISBN 9993617008
• Dargye, Yonten (2001). History of the Drukpa Kagyud School in Bhutan (12th to 17th Century A.D.). Thimphu. ISBN 9993661600. 

• Dorji, Sangay (Dasho); Kinga, Sonam (translator) (2008). The Biography of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal: Pal Drukpa Rinpoche. Thimphu, Bhutan: KMT Publicaions. ISBN 9993622400. 

• Seeds of Faith: A Comprehensive Guide to the Sacred Places of Bhutan (volume 1). Thimphu: KMT Publications. 2008.