PHENSANG KHENCHEN 1936-2012

Dr. S. PALJOR
Born on October 15, 1936, to a Buddhist couple, late Mr. D. Gyaltsen and late Mrs. Dolma Bhutia, Ven. Khenpo D. Dorjee was a local Sikkimese monk of Goenchen Sangna Choeding Monastery. Khenpo D. Dorjee was admitted to the Phensang Monastery at the age of seven, and thereafter underwent the traditional methods of Buddhist schooling during his childhood days and fulfilled all the traditional and hierarchical monastic assignments of Chhab–Dripa, Thungpo, Chhoepoen and U-chungpo.
During his younger days, Khenpola was considered one of the best mask dancers (Buddhist ritualistic dances) of Phensang Monastery. Later, when the Government of Sikkim established the Namgyal Institute of Higher Nyingma Studies (N.I.H.N.S.) at Deorali, Gangtok in 1964, the Phensang Monastery selected Khenpola for higher studies. With much appreciated academic distinctions, Khenpola belonged to the first batch of N.I.H.N.S. students (known as Shedras) from February 1964 to December 1970.
Before admission to N.I.H.N.S., however, Khenpola had a short-lived marital life of 8 years. Khenpola’s wife, Mrs. Chhoeden Bhutia, died in 1961 after the delivery of her second child. As misfortune would have it, Khenpola himself had an accidental fall from a tree before the completion of his late wife’s 49th day. Having lost his wife, Khenpola chose to concentrate on his monastic studies, after duly entrusting the responsibility of bringing up his daughter and son to his cousin sister and his late mother.
He was fondly addressed as “Phensang Khenpo” by his devotees and “Phensang Khenchen” by his Shay-Lobs (disciples). With special emphasis on Sutra and Tantra aspects of Nyingmapa Buddhism, he was one of the few fortunate local monks of Sikkim to have received the highest standards of Buddhist education from the eminent Buddhist scholars like H.E. Khenpo Rinchen (for three years), H.E. Khenpo Drazeir (for six years) and H.E. Khenpo Tsuendrue (for six years).
After completion of the prescribed courses, Khenpola was directed to serve the same Institute as Kyorpoen (equivalent to a Lecturer) from July 1971 to December 1978. Later, in January 1979, Khenpola was ordained the true title of “GELONG” (life-time celibacy) on the advice of H.E. Khenpo Tsuendrue. Thereafter, he received elaborate teachings on the strict tenets of GELONG, a celibate life of a monk, from the renowned Buddhist Master, Thrue–Shay Rinpoche in Kathmandu.
From February, 1979 onwards, Khenpola was appointed Khenpo (Principal) of N.I.H.N.S. by the Govt. of Sikkim. He was confirmed as full-fledged Khenpo on May 1 the same year.
On June 19, 1979 (Saga Dawa), Khenpola was formally conferred the most prestigious and venerable sacred title of “Khenpo” by His Holiness Kyabzey Do-Drubchen Rinpoche, one of the few highest ranking Rinpoches belonging to the Nyingmapa sect of Buddhism, at a ceremonial function at the N.I.H.N.S.
Khenpola was the second local Sikkimese monk to have been conferred the Khenpoship in the monastic history of Sikkim and became the common nucleus to the succeeding Khenpos here.
The conferment was further feathered on April 25, 1980, by His Holiness Kyabzay Dhue-Zom Rinpoche -the highest ranking Head of Nyingmapa sect of Buddhism – who presented a rare and unprecedented Certificate of Preciousity and Purity for Khenchen’s soulful knowledge and spiritual accomplishments.
While he served at the N.I.H.N.S. July 1979 to April 1997, Ven. Khenpo D. Dorjee took up the education of Buddhist monks with full dedication and special emphasis on Sutra and Tantra aspects of Nyingmapa Buddhism. It was Khenpola who initiated and imparted the “YARNEY” (summer retreat) system for the first time in N.I.H.N.S. (Shedra), based on the practical rituals of Binayatika.
Phensang Khenchen is reported to have introduced the practice of strict tenets of Buddhist Philosophy in N.I.H.N.S. and effected several reforms in the Nyingmapa aspects of practical rituals as extra-curriculum subjects in the Shedra, besides improving the administrative functions of the Denzong Shedra.
As a practical demonstration on the attainment of Tantric practices, under the aegis of His Holiness Do-Drubchen Rinpoche, Khenpola also organised the first ever “NYINGMA MOEN-LAM CHHENPO” (the highest form of Tantric prayers) at Bodh Gaya in January-February, 1981.
The tradition of conducting “Nyingma Moen-Lam Chhoenpo” -the annual Tantric prayers in Bodh Gaya -- is ritualistically conducted in the first month of every Buddhist calendar year under the supervision of high ranking Rinpoches of Nyingmapa sect of Buddhism, for the welfare of the sentient beings.
Between November 28 and December 2, 1980, Khenpola participated in the World Fellowship of Buddhist Conference at Thailand, Bangkok as an invitee-guest representative of the Govt. of Sikkim, besides another participation in the World Fellowship of Buddhist Conference at Berkley, S.W. Australia between October 29 and November 2, 1998.
In 1984-85, Khenpola earned his double doctorate degrees for his research on “An introduction to the spread of Buddhism in Sikkim”, and “The role of Mahasiddha Lha-Tsuen Chhenpo in Buddhist Propagation”.
For the first time in Sikkim between December 1988 and February 1989, the ordaination ceremony of RINCHEN TER-ZOE, empowered by His Holiness Do-Drubchen Rinpoche, was single-handedly organised by Khenpola at Tashiding, West Sikkim. In another first for Sikkim in August 1994, Khenpola organized and initiated the KAGAY DRUB-CHHEN – the highest Tantric ritual - at his parent monastery Phensang Sangna Choeding Monastery in North Sikkim. Ever since the KAGAY DRUB-CHHEN is conducted annually under the supervision of Phensang Khenchen.
In March 1998, Phensang Khenchen was again an invitee-participant for an international seminar at the Vishwa Bharti University in Kolkata. Thereafter in January 1999, Khenpola accepted the assignment of a Visiting Professor at the Shantiniketan for one academic year.
In January, 2000, Khenpola organized and ordained the most beneficial LAMA GONGDUE DRUB-CHHEN at Ringuen Monastery in North Sikkim, and the ceremony is conducted annually under the supervision and guidance of Phensang Khenchen and H.E. Lachen Gomchen Rinpoche.
Besides organizing different Buddhist ritualistic practices for his interested Shay-Lhobs (disciples) every year, especially during the vacations, Phensang Khenchen found himself time to visit almost all the monasteries and Gna-Goens in Sikkim to spread awareness on the basic tenets of Dharma and importance of practicing common rituals to the laity public.
Khenpola’s biggest concern was the necessity of maintaining the purity and sacredness of the holy teachings of the great Guru Rinpoche, Gyalwa Lha-Tsuen Chhenpo.
After his retirement in April, 1997 from Denzong Shedra, Khenpola went back to his parent Monastery Goenchen Phensang Sangna Chhoeding and effected substantial reforms, improvements and changes in the daily monastic life with the help of renowned Buddhist Master U-zed Khenpo from the Mendroling Monastery of Kham in Tibet.
It was during his post-retirement days that it dawned upon Khenpola that a common Monastic school/ Shedra was needed to ensure the continuity of regular studies in the Nyingmapa sect of Buddhism in Sikkim. Khenpola thought that such a Shedra must be established in one of the holy and sacred places like Ringuen in North Sikkim, Drub-dee in Yuksam or Rinchenpong in West Sikkim. And co-incidentally during this period, the Monastic body and public of Rinchenpong represented to Phensang Khenchen on two separate occasions, to help them open a monastic school at Rinchenpong Monastery by camping at the Monastery complex for at least two to three years.
Thereafter, Khenpola approached a very high ranking Rinpoche to invoke a THUG-MOEN as to which of the three chosen places would be holistically appropriate to establish a Shedra/ Labthra. It appears that by virtue of its holiness and sacredness, Rinchenpong was reported to have attracted Kyab-ZeyRinpoche’s Thug-Moen.
It was in April 2000 that Khenpola initiated the establishment of a Shedra within the Rinchenpong Monastery compound. As an incentive, the Rinchenpong Monastic body offered about 10 acres of land and even got it registered in his name on April 19, 2002.
While Khenpola did not wish to accept the gift of land and the Rinchenpong Monastery refused to take it back, he invited suggestion from his devotees to put the gifted land to best use. Khenpola was advised to establish a charitable Trust and transfer the gifted land to the Trust, and then open the proposed monastic school or the Shedra.
After careful consideration, the charitable trust was finally established as the “Sikkim Buddhist Development Trust”. It was under the trust that the GNAGYUR SHEDRA PEMA DODRUL PHELGAYLING (Institute for Higher Buddhist Studies and Research Centre) came into legal existence on October 26, 2001 within the monastic compound of the Rinchenpong Monastery.
The formal opening of the Trust, as also inauguration of the I.H.B.S &R.C. -commonly known as the Rinchenpong Shedra - was ordained and blessed by His Eminence Lachen Gomchen Rinpoche on the same day.
Accordingly, a well-meaning Trust deed was drafted, legally vetted and registered on April 18, 2002 in the office of the Sub-divisional Magistrate at Soreng, and the 10 acre land that was earlier registered in the personal name of Ven. Khenpo D. Dorjee was endowed in the name of Sikkim Buddhist Development Trust on June 15 the same year.
As a principal feature of the Trust, it should invariably be headed by a full-fledged celibate (Gelong) Khenpo, who would be the Settlor as also the Chief Trustee of the Trust, which is managed by a group of 06 or 07 trustees, who must also enjoy the unfaltering confidence and trust of the Chief Trustee.
The primary objective of the trust is to promote the Buddhist activities of the Institute for Higher Buddhist studies and Research Centre. The pious and true Shay-Lobs and devotees of Rinchenpong Shedra would offer noble tributes and saintly homage to the late Phensang Khenchen if they could extend help to the realisation of the noble projects initiated by the late Khenchen. As of now, the late Khenchen has laid the foundations of a monk students’ hostel and class-room buildings.
The Sikkim Buddhist Development Trust records its humble gratitude for the generous financial grant specially sanctioned by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Sikkim for the development of infrastructure, levelling of two big grounds for the construction of class-rooms and hostels for the monk-students of the Rinchenpong Shedra.
In December 2010, Khen Rinpoche was appointed Dorjee Lopen of his parent premier monastery, Phensang Sangna Choeding, which is reported to have the maximum number of enrolled monks amongst the six premier monasteries in Sikkim.
At the Gnagyur Shedra Pema Dodrul Phelgayling, 112-odd young and promising monks hailing from different hamlets of Sikkim are taught and ordained different traditional Buddhist practices, philosophy, Sutra, Tantra and rituailstic Dharma.
The number of monk students in the Institute for Higher Buddhist Research Centre cannot be increased as of now with serious constraints in the lodging facilities and budgetary support for the Trust.
Phensang Khenchen used to advocate or preach on the positive roles of a monastery in the daily lives of Buddhist followers and sentient beings. A monastery is the epicentre of the multi-faceted benefits of the study of Buddhism through the monastic schools in Sikkim percolating employment, generation of economy, spreading of compassion and promotion of meaningful peace in the world.
The improvements and achievements brought about in Rinchenpong Shedra by the Sikkkim Buddhist Development Trust during the 11 years of its existence are in the common knowledge of the Sikkimese people.
Notwithstanding the bad health of the late Khenpola, it was by Dec 2011 that Phensang Khenchen had managed to organize his dream project, the first ever GURU TSEN-GAY KU CHHAM at Rinchenpong Monastery with the help of a few senior monks of Mendroeling Dratsang of Dehradun.
Clinically, Khenchen was not keeping well since 2009, owing to the failing functions of his kidneys.
Khenpola’s illness took a serious turn in April this year, when he had to be taken to New Delhi on three occasions. He underwent two major surgeries. Ultimately, Phensang Khenchen left for his heavenly abode on July 9, 2012 at 7.40 P.M. at the Manipal Hospital in Gangtok.
The Kudung of late Phensang Khenchen was first processioned to his parent monastery Phensang Sangna Chhoeding to facilitate the local monks and devotees to pay their last tributes and homage till the morning of July 16. The Kudung was then ceremoniously processioned to Guru-Lhagang at Choeten, Gangtok, where the monks of Denzong Shedra, Dratsang of H.H. Do-Drubchen Rinpoche and local devotees paid their last homage to the late Khen Rinpoche. Thereafter, the Kudung procession left for Rinchenpong Monastery and kept there in honour till the morning of July 18.
On the spiritual advice of H.H. Kyabzey Do- Drubchen Rinpoche, the Kudung of late Khenchen was then processioned to Tashiding, where his mortal remains were ceremoniously cremated on the specially built “Phurkong” at “Thur-Throe-Salwa-Selt” and presided over by His Holiness Kyabzey Yanythang Rinpoche, and attended by Tulkus, Khenpos, Shay-Lobs, other monks and devotees hailing from different parts of Sikkim.
Phensang Khenchen’s fortunate Shay-Lobs and Zheendas, who have known him very closely for over 30 long years, are of the firm belief that the late Khenpola would cause his rebirth in an appropriate incarnation in due course of time.
The late Khenpola is survived by an elder brother, a younger sister, a younger brother, a daughter, a son, a daughter-in-law and three granddaughters.
The family, relatives and devotees would observe “Ku-Tee-She-gu” of the late Khenpola at Phensang and Rinchenpong monasteries on 26th and 27th August 2012, respectively, and also at his own residence at Baluakhani, Gangtok.
The passing away of Phensang Khenchen is an irreparable loss to the cause of Dharma.

[the writer is the Honorary Secretary, Sikkim Buddhist Development Trust, Rinchenpong, West Sikkim]