The Je Khenpo (Tibetan: རྗེ་མཁན་པོ།; Wylie: Rje Mkhan-po), formerly called the Dharma Raj by orientalists, is the title given to the highest religious official of Bhutan. His primary duty is to lead the Central Monk Body, the main monastic body of the country, and to arbitrate on matters of doctrine. The Je Khenpo is also responsible for many important liturgical and religious duties across the country. The sitting Je Khenpo is also formally the leader of the Drukpa sect of the Kagyupa school of Tibetan Buddhism. Bhutanese rulers have styled themselves as Desi Druks (see dual system of government under Ngawang Namgyal), maharajas, and kings. ... Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck (born February 21, 1980) is the fifth Dragon King of Bhutan and head of the Wangchuck dynasty. ... The Lhengye Shungtsog is the council of ministers or cabinet of the kingdom of Bhutan. ... The following is a list of the prime ministers of the Kingdom of Bhutan. ... Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk (born 1950) is a member of the Council of Ministers of Bhutan. ... The Tshogdu is the unicameral National Assembly of Bhutan (legislature). ... Bhutan is an absolute monarchy with no legal political parties. ... Elections in Bhutan gives information on election and election results in Bhutan. ... The Royal High Court of Bhutan is apex court of Bhutan. ... Bhutan is divided into 20 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural): Bumthang Chukha (old spelling Chhukha) Dagana Gasa Haa Lhuntse (old spelling Lhuntshi) Mongar Paro Pemagatshel (old spelling Pemagatsel) Punakha Samdrup Jongkhar Samtse (old spelling Samchi) Sarpang Thimphu Trashigang (old spelling Tashigang) Trashiyangste Trongsa (old spelling Tongsa) Tsirang (old spelling Chirang... Foreign Relations of Bhutan Bhutanese embassies and consulates abroad Peoples Republic of Bangladesh; in Dhaka, Bangladesh Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; in Hong Kong, the Peoples Republic of China Republic of India; in New Delhi, India Republic of India; in Calcutta, India Confederation of Switzerland; in Geneva, Switzerland... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The Wylie transliteration scheme is a method for transliterating the Tibetan script using the keys on a typical English language typewriter. ... Monasticism (from Greek: monachos—a solitary person) is the religious practice of renouncing all worldly pursuits in order to fully devote ones life to spiritual work. ... The Drukpa is a major sect within the Kagyupa school of Tibetan Buddhism. ... The Kagyu (bka brgyud) school (known as the Oral Lineage and the Spotless Practice Lineage school) of Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana) traces its origins to the teachings of the Indian mystics Tilopa (988-1089 CE) and Naropa (1016-1100 CE), whose lineage was transmitted in Tibet by the great translator Marpa... Tibetan Buddhism (Simplified Chinese: 藏传佛教) is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet, the Himalayan region (including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and Sikkim and Ladakh), Mongolia, Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia (Russia), and northeastern China (Manchuria: Heilongjiang, Jilin). ...

According to the dual system of government established by the Shabdrung in the 17th century, the powers of the government of Bhutan are ideally split between the religious branch, headed by the Je Khenpo, and the administrative branch, headed by the Druk Desi. Since the establishment of the monarchy in 1907, the relative influence of the Je Khenpo has diminished. Nonetheless, the position remains a powerful one and the Je Khenpo is typically viewed as the closest and most powerful advisor to the King of Bhutan. Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (b. ... “Kingdom” redirects here. ... 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Jigme Singye Wangchuck, (or in a pronunciation-based Romanization Jimi Singgê Wangchu) is the King of Bhutan. ...

The position of Je Khenpo is granted on merit, and typically is given to the most respected monk in the body. Thus, unlike reincarnation lineages such as the Dalai Lama, Shabdrung, or Panchen Lama, the position of Je Khenpo is never held by a child but always by a seasoned monk. The 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso (1876-1933). ... The Shabdrung (also Zhabdrung) is the most important tulku lineage in Bhutan, equivalent in many ways to the Dalai Lama lineage of Tibet. ... The 9th Panchen Lama (1883–1937) The Panchen Lama (Tibetan: པན་ཆེན་བླ་མ་; Chinese: 班禪喇嘛) is the second-highest-ranking lama after the Dalai Lama in the Gelugpa (Dge-lugs-pa) sect of Tibetan Buddhism (the sect which controlled Tibet from the 16th century until the Communist takeover). ...

The 67th Je Khenpo, Ngawang Thinley Lhundup, died at the age of 84 on June 10, 2005. He was noted as a strict disciplinarian who would not compromise any rules in managing the Central Monk Body. In addition to his position as Je Khenpo, he was recognized as the trulku of Nyizergang, the seat of the terton Woogpa Lingpa, in Wangdue Phodrang province. June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In Tibetan Buddhism, tulku (also tülku, trulku, etc. ... In Tibetan Buddhism, a tertön is someone who discovers a terma, or hidden text. ... Location of Wangdue Phodrang Dzongkhag within Bhutan Wangdue Phodrang (previously spelled Wangdi Phodrang) is a dzongkhag (district), of central Bhutan. ...

The 68th and present Je Khenpo is Trulku Jigme Chhoeda. He is believed to be the reincarnation of Maitreya, as well as the mahasiddha Saraha, Hungchen Kara, Kheuchung Lotsawa, and His Holiness Pema Tsering. In Tibetan Buddhism, tulku (also tülku, trulku, etc. ... Maitreya Bodhisattva (Sanskrit) or Metteyya Bodhisatta (Pāli) is the future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. ... Mahasiddhas (Sanskrit: maha - great, siddhas - achievers) are a type of eccentric yogis or adepts important in tantric Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism. ... Saraha (or Sarahapa or Sarahapad) Originally known as Rahulbhadra, he is considered to be the first poet of Hindi by Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan. ...