Dorje Drak Monastery

Dorje Drak Monastery

Dorje Drak Monastery is a famous Tibetan Buddhist monastery and one of the six big Nyingmapa monasteries. Along with Mindroling Monastery, Dorje Drak Monastery is one of the two most important Nyingmapa in Tibet, which located in Shannan Prefecture at the north bank of Yarlung Tsangpo River. Dorje means Buddha’s warrior attendant in Tibetan and Drak means stone mountains in Tibetan. So the monastery is named after the natural image of Buddha’s warrior attendant in the back mountain.

The Monastery was built by the 1st Rigdzin Ngakgi Wangpo (1580-1639) in 1610, who was the son of Changdak Tashi Tobgyal Dorje Drak  specialized in Northern Treasures from Nyingma tradition. In 1718, the Mongolia jungar army intruded Tibet and the monastery was heavily destroyed. It was reconstructed afterwards and continues the Nyingmapa tradition until today. Books collected in the monastery are not only about Nyingmapa traditions but also about traditional Tibetan medicines and Tubo Kingdom history. Unlike Sakyapa and Kagyupa tradition, Nyingmapa has a relatively loose organization and single line inheritance.

Travel Tips:

1.There are guesthouses near the monastery providing beds, drinks and instant noodles.