The Centre of Nyingma School of Buddhism (Old Buddhist Tradition), Dhongag Thoe-Sam Rabgayling College of Buddhist Studies is located at Gangteng under Wangduephodrang District which was established in the year 1985, coinciding on the Fourth Day of the Sixth Month of Buddhist calendar, the auspicious day of Lord Buddha turning the Dharma wheel of Four Noble Truth. The College was established as per the aspiration of the 9th Successor to the abbot of Gangteng San-ngag Choeling Monastery, Kunzang Rigzin Pema Namgyal Rinpoche for the benefit of all the sentient beings.
Kunzang Rigzin Pema Namgyal Rinpoche was studying at Namdrolling Buddhist College at Mysore, India when His Holiness Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche told the former about latter’s wish to establish a new Buddhist College and retreat centre in Bhutan, the hidden land of Guru Rinpoche and a Buddhist country. This initiated the establishment of a Buddhist College and a retreat center at Gangteng which became the central place of Nyingma School of Buddhism in Bhutan established by Kunzang Rigzin Pema Namgyal Rinpoche as per the advice received from His Holiness Drubwang Penor Rinpoche. The center was established in specific to promote and administer the spread of Nyingma School (old tradition) of Buddhism and Pema Lingpa’s doctrine of concealed treasures (Pedling Terchoe). The Buddhist Masters and Instructors were sent from Namdrolling Buddhist College in India.
Many other Buddhist Masters and Scholars from within and outside the country also encouraged, supported and offered their prayers for the establishment of Buddhist College at Gangteng.
Finally, His Majesty The Fourth Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Singye Wangchuck visited Gangteng Monastery and commanded for the establishment of a Buddhist College at that place considering the Monastery as an ultimate upholder of Nyingma School (old tradition) of Buddhism and its huge secrecy which shed light on the actual establishment of the Buddhist College that exists today.
The College started with its 61 monks recruited from within the country; and after several years of its formal institution, the college got its first blessing from His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche where His Holiness offered his congratulatory prayers and gave all the monks with a portrait of Lord Buddha each and scarf as a symbol of virtuous congratulation.
His Holiness Jadrel Sangay Dorji made his visit to the college and blessed with the provision of oral transmission of Manjushri Nama Sangriti to the fellow monks. His Holiness during that visit instructed the requirement of most relevant name to the college and accordingly with his profound divination and prayers, His Holiness gave the name as “Dhongag Thoe-Sam Rabgayling College of Buddhist Studies”.
The Buddhist Master, Khenpo Dhazer also visited the College and told the monks including Kunzang Rigzin Pema Namgyal Rinpoche that the college must uphold the spread of Buddhism in general and specifically emphasize on the promotion of Pema Lingpa’s Doctrine of concealed treasures (Pedling Terchoe) through the study of Buddha’s Commentaries, Treatises, Sutra and Mantra in the college. Marking its auspiciousness, Khenpo also offered Nu. 300 to the college, few copies of the book titled “Gateway to Knowledge” written by His Eminence Mipham Rinpoche and 20 copies of prayer books written to offer prayers to red and yellow Manjushri.
After a month long period of establishment of the college, His Eminence exclusively invited a Buddhist Scholar and the great abbot Pema Sherab from Mysore Namdroling College of Buddhist Studies to his winter residence at Chitog Phuntshog Rabtenling where His Holiness let all the monks of the college to take the vow of a novice monk. Additionally, Scholar Pema Sherab also gave the teaching of the Treasure on the Science of Valid Cognition (Tshema Rigter) and other Buddhist teachings to all the professors and pupil of the college including His Eminence himself. At the same time, His Eminence finalized the college teaching curriculum and disciplinary regulations in order to strengthen the administrative management of the college and put in place the guidelines for enhanced quality of Buddhist studies in the college. Since then, His Holiness became so bonded with the college like a parent-child bonding for which His Holiness continues to visit the college once very after two years and provide the Buddhist teachings ranging from the Buddhist abbreviated text, Marks of Buddhist grammatical distinction and understanding one’s conceptual mind to the teaching of Buddhist fundamental scriptures and radiant great perfection (Wosel Dzogpa Chhenpo).
In the early stage of the college establishment, His Eminence was facing acute shortage of financial and other required resources to complete the full establishment of the college when Her Royal Grand Mother Azhi Phuntsho Choden Wangchuck and her Private Secretary Phub Dorji provided the specific and tremendous support in meeting any fundamental facilities and resources required in the college. In addition, they also constructed a single-storied assembly hall equipped with the religious monuments such as shrine objects and other religious materials. Albeit that, other various religious-minded sponsors provided the support of offering basic necessities to the college for some years and after that Bhutan World Food Program also supported the college in providing basic food needs for few years. Gradually, the study programs in the college increased and improved with the increasing number of monks because of which the college had its first three monks who completed the Master’s Degree in Buddhist Studies (Zinrim Gupa) and till now there are around one hundred sixty monks who completed Master’s Degree from the college.
Current Management System of the College
From the time the college was established, Principals and Scholars under the leadership of His Eminence framed and implemented the better college management strategies and moreover ever since the Buddhist abbot Tandin Sithup took the position of 7th Principal of the college in 2007, the existing management system were enhanced for betterment and the in-existent new management systems were put in place to meet the need of the changing times. And those administrative management system is still followed by the successive principals of the college.
The reigning Principal is the management head of the college responsible for maintaining the regulations and discipline of the college. Additionally, the Principal also overlooks for the improvement of educational and behavioral conduct of the learners. One among the Scholars and teachers of the college is selected as a Guardian of Religious Objects (Taensungpa) entrusted with the responsibility of repairing and taking care of the religious statues, sacred texts and religious stupas (Taensum) present in and around the college. Similarly, a treasurer (Nguel- nger) is also selected among the scholars and teachers to look after the matter of procuring and managing the basic needs and requirements of the monks. A Discipliner is also selected from among the teachers to take care of the college’s regulations and disciplines of the monks and to shoulder the responsibility of official documentation and daily correspondences with regard to the college, a secretary (Dungchen) is appointed.
Amongst the students or the monks, eight members to represent in the college management were selected through open voting system. The key responsibility of those selected eight fellow monks is to keep the record of all the monthly monetary donations received from the devoted sponsors and to deal impartially with every visitors to the college.
Additionally, they have to shoulder the responsibility of the Stores, and take care of the college’s pool vehicles and coordinate the general procurement works of the college. The college’s financial accumulation and the expenditure is calculated on the basis of the religious rituals and funeral rites conducted by the college within the period of one month. At the end of every month, an account statement of the college has to be calculated in presence of the Treasurer, the Secretary, Rehearsal Teacher (Chorpoen), Eight selected student Representatives and the two Captains where every single money collection receipts and the expenditures are accounted. After that, the reigning Rehearsal Master of the management office must compile the expenditure statements from the Secretary and present the detailed financial status of the college to the Principal, Scholars, Teachers and other management members. Finally, the Secretary should announce on the monthly financial status of the college during its Assembly of great increase of good characteristics and cessation faults. (Legpal Nyegog Tshogdu). From the total monthly collection of money, the sum is divided as: Forty percent to the monks, thirty percent for repairing the damaged college structures and other thirty percent for the daily needs of the college.
Successive Principals of the College
With the establishment of the college, His Holiness conferred the position of first Principal of the college to Buddhist Abbot (Khenpo) named Chophel who was the direct disciple of great Buddhist Scholar Norbu Wangchuk who hailed from Trongsa Tshangkha. His Holiness handed over the college administration to Khenpo Chophel along with the appointment of two Retreat Masters (Drupoen), Drukdra Jamtsho and former Vajra Master (Dorji Lopen) Phurpa Dorji. Khenpo Chophel as a first Principal of the college worked tirelessly with his two Retreat Masters and other teachers to flourish and preserve Buddha’s teaching of Sutra and Mantra in general and in specific he promoted the teachings of Pema Lingpa’s Doctrine of Concealed Treasures with higher focus on conventional truth of reality and process of meditating internal development and completion (Utpatti and Sampannakrama). He led the college for more than two years after which he resided at Ngatshang College of Buddhist Studies. However, once more he returned to the college to become an Abbot of the college for another one year.
After that, a Buddhist Abbot Katayana (Khenpo Katayana) who came from Namdrolling College of Buddhist Studies, Buddhist College of Nyingma Tradition in Mysore, South India served as the second Principal for one year looking after both the academic and management affairs of the college.
The third Principal was Khenpo Jurmed Thinley who was invited from the place known as Kham located towards the south of Tibet. He served as a Principal of the college for three years and during his leadership, he gave the teachings of Buddhist Arts and Philosophy including an Astrology.
The fourth Principal of the college, Khenpo Kelzang Nima who also came from Namdrolling College of Buddhist Studies in Mysore worked hard to strengthen the management system of the college and provided the profound teachings of Sutra and Mantra to the monks. In 1997, Khenpo Kelzang Nima shifted the main monastery of Gangteng Sangag Choling to Kunzang Choling Retreat Centre where the college is located today. He served as the fourth Principal of the college for seven years and it was during his reign that the first batch of monks completed their Master Degree in Buddhist Studies from Gangteng Don-ngag Thoe-Sam Rabgyaling College of Buddhist Studies.
The fifth successor to the position of Principal was His Eminence’s (Gangtrul Rinpoche’s) own brother Khenpo Karma Wangyal who served for one year and after that he went to three years retreat at Kunzang Chhoeling Retreat Centre starting 2003.
Khenpo Tenzin Thinley became the fifth Principal of the college who was among the three other Khenpos who came from Namdroling namely Khenpo Dorje Gyaltshen, Khenpo Peljore and Khenpo Sonam Tobgyal. He restlessly gave the teachings of Sutra and Mantra to the monks for the period of seven years.
Khenpo Karma Wangyal returned from his three years retreat and once again became the Principal of the college but sixth in line that time. It was when Khenpo Karma was working continuously on the college’s management system that His Eminence made him the Vajra Master (Dorji Lopen) of Sanga Choling Buddhist Monastery after which he looked after all the external and internal management of the Monastery.
His Eminence (Gangtrul Rinpoche) in the year 2007 invited a Buddhist Abbot (Khenpo) Tandin Sithup from Namdrolling College of Buddhist Studies, Mysore, India to become the seventh Principal of the college where Khenpo worked hard
internally to enhance the quality of Buddhist education and externally to improve the fundamental facilities of the college taking care of more than 300 monks for seven years. Furthermore, Khenpo also started the very unique culture college management which evolved from his profound knowledge which is highly respected and regarded by all the Masters, Teachers, Monks and even the general lay people living in the villages around the college. They still pay gratitude for the Khenpo’s undying contributions made to the college.
A Buddhist graduate of Namdrolling College of Buddhist Studies, Khenpo Singye Dorji became the eighth Principal of the college starting 2011 and served for seven years shouldering his responsibilities with utmost dedication and commitment. He was one of the teachers of the college for five years prior to becoming a Principal in 2011.
Finally in 2018, His Eminence passed an ordinance that the college could not rely always on Namdroling College to send the successive Principals to the college and that there is a need for the appointment of the college Alumni as a Principal for the college. Accordingly, among the two Buddhist Abbots of the college, A reincarnate Buddhist Abbot (Khentruel) Pema Dorji who successfully completed ninth hierarchy of abbots (Khenrim Gu) and nine class ranks of the college was conferred the post of Principal who became the first principal of the college produced by itself. Today, as in 2019, led by the Reincarnate Abbot with 12 other Teaching Abbots continues to provide external and internal education to around 240 monks along with the task of college management with their pure intentions and noble thoughts.
