Monks from the Kingdom of Bhutan.
Format: DV 720×576
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Mahayana Buddhism is the state religion of Bhutan with the hierarchy headed by the Je Khenpo assisted by five lopons or masters.
The position of Je Khenpo is granted on merit, and typically is given to the most respected monk in the body. Unlike reincarnation the position of Je Khenpo is never held by a child but always by a seasoned monk, not the case with lineages such as the Dalai Lama, Shabdrung, or Panchen Lama,
In the late 1980s there were some 12,000 monks in Bhutan which does not include an active congregation of nuns. Both monks and nuns keep their heads shaved and wear distinguishing maroon robes. Their days are spent in study and meditation but also in the performance of rituals honouring various bodhisattvas, praying for the dead, and seeking the intercession of bodhisattvas on behalf of the ill.