His Holiness Khedrup Rinpoche

“Following the Noble Path is like entering a dark room with a light in the hand; the darkness will all be cleared away, and the room will be filled with light.”

~Buddha Shakyamuni

His Holiness 5th Khedrupchen Rinpoche Ugyen Thinley Lhundrup alias Yonten Thinley aka Jigme Kunzang Rangdrol was born in 1990 on the iron horse year coin-ding 15th date of 3rd month according to the moon calendar. When he was 3 years old he begins to approach himself talking about the previous Khedrup Phajo Sangay Dhendrup Rinpoche.

Sangchen Ogyen Tsuklag Monastery

Rephel Lhakhang Dratshang

Was founded at 8th century by the great female practitioner Khandro Tashi Khidren of Chhagkhar who was only the consort of Guru Rinpoche from Bhutan.

Tashi Khyidren had meditated in many places including Paro Taktshang(tiger nest), Singye Dzong etc. Among those holy places, Rephel Mindrol Lhakhang was the one where Tashi Khyidren had built her retreating place. The holy water revealed by Guru Rinpoche and Tashi Khyidren can be seen 15 meters away at the right side of the monastery, and the footprint of the riding horse is found behind the main temple. Later it has became the main seat of Rephel Lama Gyeltsen.

The name of the monastery was originally called “Mi Bran Lhakhang”(Don’t know where is Lhakhang). It is said to be named by Second Jamgon Trulku. The reason behind is, the local people of Rephel had begun to renovate the Lhakhang and at the same time some of the patrons went to request for inviting Jamgon for the consecration of the Lhakhang from a year before the Lhakhang was fully renovated. So the next year when the Jamgon Trulku reached Taktse Tangchen Lhakhang to consecrate the temple, the work was still incompleted, and the inviters where ashamed and asked Jamgon to do the consecration ceremony from Taktse Lhakhang. So Jamgon performed the consecration puja without knowing where the Lhakhang was actually located and named it as Mi-bran Lhakhang.

Later this place became important sacred place for many masters including YabjeTenpai Nima, the father of the Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel and the 10th Lhalung Thuksey Thekchog Tenpei Gyeltsen.

By 19th century, the temple was renovated again and upgraded to two storey by Jakar Dzongpon Chimi Dorji(the governer of Jakar), Ashi Lemo and Ashi Pema Dechen.

The monastery is the custodian of one of the most highly regarded religious treasures, a wall painting of Zhitro Lhatsog (a mandala of wrathful and calm form deity) from last 8thcentury, a spoken Buddha statue and treasure bell of Terton Sherab Mebar.

In late 2009, the people of Samcholing and Rephel community made a request to Khedrup Rinpoche to take over the monastery and made an issue to the Royal Government of Bhutan to offer the monastery to Rinpoche.

Rinpoche had accepted the request and gave a new name as Sangchen Ogyen Tsuklag. Today the monastery holds 20 monks and 2 teachers and a Khenpo. The monastery is mainly transmitting the glorious Longchen Nyingthik lineage which is heart essence drop teachings of Maha Sandhi(dzogpa chenpo) an unbroken lineage from Padma Sambhava till our present living masters.