|
widely shared among Buddhists and majority of
the innate goodness of human beings are
Bhutanese are Buddhists. Hinduism is another
religion, practised particularly in Southern
Bhutan. The Hindu religion as practised by
Southern Bhutanese has many common saints and
divinities with Vajrayana, the school of
Buddhism prevalent in Bhutan. Buddhism has a
significant influence on the values of the
Bhutanese and has shaped the institutions,
organizations, arts, drama, architecture,
literature and social structure. Bhutan's
culture, as in other societies, is continually
adapting itself in the face of development.
The importance of religious institutions
continues in present day Bhutan, as signified by
the strength of the monk body who number about
5000 in Dratshangs or Rabdeys supported by the
state. This figure takes into account only those
monks who are part of the formal monastic
structure supported by the state and excludes
those who are not part of the state sponsored
Dratshangs. The Rabdeys are based mainly in
dzongs. Each Rabdey is healed by a Lam Neten who
is appointed by His Holiness the Je Kherpo (Heal
Abbot), the elected Head of the Central Monk
Body. The present je Kherpo is the 70th
incumbent. His Holiness the Je Kherpo is the
chairman of the nine member Dratshang Lhentshog.
Monks continue to play an important role in the
daily lives of the people in performing
religious ceremonies, and in promoting and
preserving traditional scholarship. They are
also actively involved in the process of
development while constantly renewing their
relevance to society in times of change. |
