Phajoding Monastery

Phajoding Monastery is a Buddhist monastery in Bhutan. Phajoding Monastery is a 3-hour hike from the nearest road and is located above Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu. It was once one of the richest and most decorated monasteries in the country however due to years of neglect and the encroachment of development, it was watch listed in 2010 by the World Monuments Fund as one of five endangered cultural monuments that need most help in the world.

The Phajoding monastery site was founded in the 13 th Century by Phajo Drugom Zhigpo (1184-1251), the Tibetan lama who spread the Drukpa Kagyu teachings of Buddhism in Bhutan and known as the ‘current of compassion’. It is one of the most sacred meditational sites in Bhutan. Most of the buildings at Phajoding however were constructed in 1748 by Gyelwa Shakya Rinchen (1710-1759), the 9 th Je Khenpo (rje mkhan po) who is considered to be the reincarnation of Rechungpa, the heart disciple of Milarepa. His reincarnation is currently studying at the Nalanda Buddhist Institute in Punakha in central Bhutan.

The Phajoding monastery has a devoted community of 40 young, impoverished monks who faithfully carry on the spiritual traditions set down by the founder of this sacred site, Phajo Drugom Zhigpo. It also serves as a refuge for orphaned and disadvantaged boys.

Around a half of these young monks do not receive the minimal Government stipend and coupled with the many more young boys from poor rural families wishing to join the Phajoding Monastic community, the monastery is unable to provide for their basic needs. Due to the limits on Government funding, it is impossible to increase Phajoding’s capacity to care for more disadvantaged young boys without external sponsorship.

Raising awareness of this sacred meditational site

The monks at this monastery have moved into the 21st Century and have embraced social media in a positive way to raise awareness of the financial needs at this monastery. Their project is known as "The Phajoding Monastery Project". More information can be found on their website : www.phajodingmonastery.com

OR on the following social media links which they run:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Phajoding

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/PhajodingMonastery

Flickr: https://secure.flickr.com/photos/phajodingproject/

PInterest: http://pinterest.com/phajoding/phajoding-monastery-project

The goals of their project are to:

• provide compassionate care and education for orphaned and disadvantaged boys within a holistic curriculum.
• provide for the basic needs of these boys (including a sense of family and belonging)
• model the importance of the values and actions of compassion, gifting, sharing and trust.

The project has gained a lot of support from within and outside Bhutan.