The Kagyu lineage is commonly known as the practice lineage, as it is practice above all else that is emphasized. However, practice can only proceed correctly if one has a correct understanding of the view. The path and view of the Kagyu lineage is Mahamudra, which is the very essence and pith of all the teachings of Lord Buddha. Texts on Mahamudra were often written by highly accomplished siddhas who would explain their realization of years and years of Mahamudra meditation in brief spiritual songs called dohas. These dohas, often only a few dozen lines long, are still sung by lamas today. They often contain the most profound instructions in metaphors of great beauty derived from simple meditative experience. This Song of Lodro Thaye is just such a doha and covers the entire path of Mahamudra in less than 300 lines of verse. However, the spiritual song is condensed in meaning so one needs someone accomplished in Mahamudra meditation to explain the meaning of this great work. Such a person is Thrangu Rinpoche who not only was asked to establish the curriculum of the Kagyu lineage after the Tibetans were forced into exile in 1959, but also taught the four major regents of the lineage including Jamgon Kongtrul’s reincarnation. —From the Forewords by Ven. Choje Lama Shedrup and Clark Johnson