Khenpo

The term khenpo (Tib. མཁན་པོ་ mkhen po) is a spiritual degree given in Tibetan Buddhism. In the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Sakya traditions, the title is awarded usually after a period of 13 years of intensive study after secondary school level studies, and is considered much like a spiritual Bachelor's. Similar titles of lower standing are De Nod Dzin Pa, and Shor Phon. In the Gelug tradition, the title khenpo refers to either a senior monk who ordains new monastics, or the abbot of a monastery. A comparable title in the Gelug lineage is Geshe.

In some sanghas a khenchen (Tib. མཁན་ཆེན་ 'great khenpo') is a senior khenpo or a title applied to the most respected khenpos.

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