The Chorten Nyingpo Lhakhang archive holds a small yet invaluable collection of manuscripts that embody the temple’s sacred heritage. Revered as sungten, or embodiments of the Buddha’s teachings, these manuscripts are cherished as sacred objects of worship. This diverse collection includes canonical texts, liturgical manuals, philosophical treatises, and narrative accounts, all meticulously organized in the flexible poti style across various volumes of different sizes and formats. Most texts are handwritten in uchen and ume scripts with black ink on cream-colored handmade Bhutanese paper, though some are block prints. The archive also features a set of The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines, a xylographic print from the Narthang woodblocks. Each volume’s opening page, or tog, is uniquely written in gold ink on dark blue paper, and only these initial pages have been digitized to honor their special presentation. Adding historical depth, the archive preserves a royal decree from the Second King of Bhutan, which details the temple’s significance and serves as a tax exemption certificate for the custodial family. Each manuscript, except the royal decree, is carefully wrapped in cloth and secured with string, reflecting the community’s profound reverence for these spiritual treasures.
Extent: 1 collection of manuscripts containing 11 volumes.
Custodial history: The temple belongs to a private family believed to be descendants of the revered Buddhist teacher Dawa Gyeltshen, who was a prominent son of the great treasure revealer Pema Lingpa. The temple’s archive also appears to have been inherited from the time of the temple’s founding and remains under the custodianship of this private family.
Arrangement: There is no systematic arrangement.
Author(s)/Creator(s): The majority of the texts appear to have been created at the temple over different time periods. Some of these texts may date back to before the 16th century, though their exact origins remain unknown.
