This teaching by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche on Penkarwa's "Short Prayer to Dorje Chang" is one of Rinpoche's first published teachings. It was given by Rinpoche at the request of His Holiness the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa especially for the benefit of Western students so that they may understand the nature of the path. Here Rinpoche gives a verse by verse commentary which covers all aspects of the path and the practice according to the tradition of Mahamudra. He also gives a brief history of the lineage and the early lineage masters. "This supplication to Dorje Chang or Vajradhara is the one in common use in all the major schools of the Kagyu tradition. It is also used in personal practice, not only within the monasteries, but by all lay people who practice Mahamudra. The reason why this particular lineage supplication is so much emphasized, is that it was composed by the great teacher Penkar Jampal Zangpo, after his completion of eighteen years of solitary retreat practice meditating on Mahamudra on an island in the middle of a lake in northern Tibet. It is regarded as being a summary of his experience and realization, gained through years of intense practice, and therefore it is held to have unparalleled blessing." The prayer itself here is in Tibetan, phonetics and English. Also included are charts of the Kagyu schools and lineages, an outline of the Karma Kagyu lineage tree with the names of all the lineage masters.