Dorlop Choenyi Sangmo | Teacher and Vajra Master

Dorlop Chonyi Sangmo is a Tibetan Buddhist nun and an esteemed Vajra Master (Dorje Lopön) in the Namchak lineage. With decades of rigorous training, including two intensive three-year retreats, she embodies deep spiritual commitment and expertise in Buddhist philosophy, ritual, and meditation.

Born in a farming village in Shikatse, Central Tibet, Dorlop la’s devotion to the Dharma emerged at an early age, despite familial and societal obstacles. As a child, she secretly studied Dharma texts while working in the fields, nurturing an unshakable aspiration to take monastic vows. At 23, facing religious persecution, she courageously fled Tibet, enduring a harrowing 10-day journey on foot through the Himalayas to reach Nepal.

Once in Nepal, she joined Tulku Sangak Rinpoche’s Turquoise Leaf Monastery, where her deep study and practice flourished. She later moved to Siliguri, India, to complete further studies and monastic training. Over time, she took on various roles, from monastery worker to chant leader and, eventually, a teacher, guiding up to three classes a day.
Dorlop la completed her first three-year retreat at the age of 30, a transformative period of intensive meditation and practice. She later served as the Vajra Master for her second three-year retreat, an honor that reflects both her mastery of the teachings and her ability to guide others through the profound depths of retreat practice.

Following her retreat training, she continued studying, teaching, and performing ceremonial duties at Turquoise Leaf Monastery and Namdroling Monastery for seven years. In 2023, she relocated to Montana to support the establishment of the Namchak Three-Year Retreat Center.

Currently, Dorlop la is focused on deepening her personal practice and learning English while residing in Hot Springs, Montana at the Namchak Retreat Ranch. She is dedicated to helping create a strong foundation for retreatants and continues to serve as a guiding presence in the sangha.

Her journey—marked by unwavering perseverance, profound devotion, and a deep well of wisdom—serves as an inspiration for practitioners navigating the Buddhist path.