In September of 1971 Vidyadhara, the Venerable Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, asked Thomas Rich to be his dharma heir. Below is the inscribed inside cover of "The Jewel Ornament of Liberation,"given to him by the Vidyadhara at this meeting. The Vajra Regent describes this event in detail in a letter he wrote to 1980 Vajradhatu Seminary students, excerpted below. The whole letter is on the Timeline.