Our Teacher

Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe is one of the most knowledgeable and respected teachers of the practice and philosophy of Tibetan Buddhism in Australia.

Our home

Drogmi Buddhist Institute's home base is the Kamalashila Tibetan Buddhist Centre at the foot of Mount Gulaga, near Tilba on the far south coast of New South Wales, Australia.

News

​Sunday meditation at Tilba

Everyone is welcome to our Sunday practice. 
​
Every Sunday
8.30-9.30am 
Green Tara Puja in the Tara Gompa

10-11am  
​Shamatha or "Calm Abiding" Practice led by Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe. Learn and practice the fundamentals  of meditation by an accomplished meditation master. Stay for a cuppa and chat afterwards.

Every second and fourth Sunday of the month
11-11.30am 
Medicine Buddha Practice led by Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe. Medicine Buddha is effective in healing physical and mental sickness, for oneself and others. You do not require any pre-requisite when attending this practice in the group setting. 

Visit by His Holiness the 43rd sakya trizin, Gyana Vajra Rinpoche

Drogmi Buddhist Institute rejoices in our immense good fortune in the recent visit by His Holiness the 43rd Sakya Trizin Gyana Vajra Rinpoche to Kamalashila Tibetan Buddhist Centre from 31 March to 5 April 2026 for a special five-day retreat of empowerments, teachings and meditation.
 
His Holiness bestowed the Vajrakilaya Khago Blessing, the Vajrakilaya Torma Empowerment, the Vajrapani Bhutadamara Empowerment and Fire Puja, and the Vajrasattva, Medicine Buddha, Green Tara, Buddha of Compassion (Avalokiteshvara), and White Tara Empowerments. His Holiness also gave teachings  on “The Importance of the Practice of Dharma” and Khenpo-la will provide supplementary teachings and lead meditation sessions over the retreat period.

Click here for more information

Autumn Buddhist Philosophy Course returns in 2026

The inaugural Autumn Buddhist Philosophy Course ran successfully from 2022 to 2024. The course will run again from 2026 to 2028, beginning in March 2026.

This course is intended for those who wish to deepen their understanding of Buddhism in a comprehensive and transformative way.

​The course is taught by Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe, who holds a Masters degree and a Loppon degree (equivalent to a PhD) in Buddhist Studies from the Sakya College in Dehradun, India.

This is a precious opportunity to join a three-year applied spiritual training in the three main Buddhist traditions. ​The course is presented in the true spirit of ‘rime’ or non-sectarianism. 

In the first year the course will cover the Shravakayana tradition, and in the following years the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions. 

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Drogmi shedra 2026-2028

Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe will lead a new three year studies program at Kamalashila Tibetan Buddhist Centre.
Khenpo la is kindly accepting late enrolments for this course up until Sunday 12 July by clicking the tab below. 

The Drogmi Shedra will commence in May 2026 and conclude in September 2028. ‘Shedra’ is the Tibetan word for ‘centre for teaching’ and is the traditional higher learning provided to monks and nuns to study the most important Buddhist texts. 

The course comprises two semesters per year and includes in-person intensive study residentials at Kamalashila Tibetan Buddhist Centre; three days in semester 1 (in May) and 10 days in semester 2 (in September). The study residentials will involve teachings, personal study, discussion and a mix of group and individual presentations.

Click here for more information
​

Karma Yoga group retreat
31 july - 2 august

Friday 31 July to Sunday 2 August 

“For the sake of creating a beautiful home for the Dharma” - Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe.

This is our 11th Karma Yoga Group retreat.  It will be a weekend where our body and mind work together to help others. Come and join us with work in the garden, building maintenance, cleaning and painting or assisting with the catering. There is a job for everyone! 
    
Click here for more information

​family retreat 19 - 20 september

Starts 11am on 19 September and Finishes 1pm on 20 September
with Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe
This retreat offers families the opportunity to spend quality time together, strengthening and deepening  relationships and opening our hearts to each other. 
In this retreat Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe will lead us on short meditation sessions and Q&A for parents, interspersed with fun family activities for all ages led by Zara Kaye, a local primary school teacher. 
It is a great follow on from the Family Online Course. 
​
 Click here for more information ​

annual shamatha retreat 2 - 10 october
​with khenpo ngawang dhamchoe

Shamatha Meditation translates as “tranquillity of the mind” or “calm - abiding”. It helps stabilise the mind by cultivating awareness of the object of meditation. The traditional practice of shamatha uses different kinds of supports or anchors for practice.

​During this nine-day retreat Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe will give detailed teachings on Shamatha Meditation. This is a great opportunity to learn and practice these methods of meditation that have been tried and proven through the centuries to help relax and focus our concentration, leading to improved mental health. 
Bookings now open.
​
Click here for more information

making friends with death: a creative workshop exploring death and dying
​saturday 24 October 

With Buddhist nun Venerable Rinchen. 

When: Saturday 24 October 9.30 am-4.30 pm
Where: Kamalashila Tibetan Buddhist Centre, 9000 Princes Highway Tilba Tilba NSW
Cost: Workshop only: $80 for the day includes lunch and refreshments
Workshop & 1 night's Accommodation: $130 (for those travelling)
 
Venerable Rinchin has kindly agreed to return this year after presenting this very successful workshop last year. 

​Click here for more information

Mindfulness day
sunday 25 october 

With Venerable Rinchen - following on from her Making Friends with Death workshop the previous day, Venerable Rinchen will present this workshop on Mindfulness.
​
When: Saturday 25 October 9.30 am-4.30 pm
Where: Kamalashila Tibetan Buddhist Centre, 9000 Princes Highway Tilba Tilba NSW
Cost: Workshop only: $80 for the day includes lunch and refreshments
Workshop & 1 night's Accommodation: $130 (for those travelling)

Join us for a day of contemplation and meditation on the 5 Aggregates: Form, Feeling, Perception, Volitional formations, Consciousness.

The Buddha said: "Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of suffering: birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering." (SN 56.11)
​
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SHAMATHA - VIPASSANA (CALM & INSIGHT) RETREAT
​12 - 15 NOVEMBER 2026

Developing Meditation from Wisdom
With Ayya Jitindriya and Ayya Jayasara

Shamatha and Vipassana (calm and insight) are the two main factors of meditation that allow the mind to see clearly into the nature of reality. Though they appear to be two different things they are closely linked, as it is due to the stillness of mind that the clarity of insight can emerge; and in turn, this clarity can deepen stillness. However, if our practice is to ripen in fruition, both factors must be supported by the wisdom of right-view — the first and most fundamental factor of the Buddha’s path of Awakening — which orients the mind toward understanding and letting go of suffering.
In this 4 day meditation retreat we will explore just how these factors of the path support each other, in theory and in practice, and learn how, as these qualities mature together, our meditation can go to deeper depths of seeing clearly and freeing the heart.
​Bookings now open.

​Click here for more information

News from our FAcebook page

News from The Wisdom Age

The Wisdom Age newsletter has more news from the Drogmi Buddhist Institute. ​You can read recent news and catch up on past issues.

Stay informed

Subscribe to the Drogmi Buddhist Institute newsletter The Wisdom Age and keep up to date with our news.​

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As well as providing support for Drogmi Buddhist Institute, becoming a friend gives you concessional rates for all teachings and retreats.
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