At age 13, Rinpoche was recognized as the reincarnation of Tsatsa Khenpo Thubten by Bo Gangkar Monastery. First, Rinpoche spent four years of his monastery studies at Bo Gangkar monastery, and then he went to Dege Pulpung monastery for two years. From there, he went to India and for ten years studied in Rumtek Monastery Institute in Sikkim, India and completed the traditional three year retreat under the guidance of Kyabje Bokar Rinpoche at Bokar Monastery in Mirik, India. Upon completion of the retreat, Kyabje Bokar Rinpoche appointed Lama Phurbu Tashi Rinpoche as the three years retreat center teacher.

His book on vegetarianism, The Lamp of Scriptures and Reasoning, was praised and recommended by both HH the 14th Dalai Lama and HH the 17th Karmapa. Since then, Rinpoche also wrote and compiled several Dharma books, Ancient Wisdom for Modern Society, Mind and Meditation, Illuminating the Path of Meditation, a Lojong commentary, and also translated several texts.

Lama Phurbu Tashi Rinpoche currently spends his time teaching in Annapolis in the USA, Medan, Jakarta, and Bali in Indonesia.