Choseng Trungpa Rinpoche is the 12th and current Trungpa tülku. He was born on February 6, 1989, in Pawo village, in Derge, eastern Tibet. He was recognized by Tai Situ Rinpoche in 1991, and enthroned a year later at Surmang Monastery at a ceremony presided over by Domkhar Rinpoche, a high Kagyu lama and Choseng's uncle. The monastery's late abbot (and Choseng Trungpa's predecessor), was Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Choseng studied the traditions of Surmang under the tutelage of Lama Kenla (1932–2003) and received his early monastic education at the shedra at Palpung Monastery. He studied at Surmang Namgyal-tse until 2008, and now studies at Serthar Institute. The name Choseng is a contraction of Chokyi Sengay, which means "Lion of Dharma." In 2001, he met for the first time with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, the son of his previous incarnation, Chögyam Trungpa.