My connection with Chris was mostly through Vajrayana practice. There was much more to it, but practice was the heart of it. We spent years and years at programs together, often long ones. I think it is possible that Chris’s trajectory was straight up at the time of his death. I hope he knew what was happening to him, but even if he didn’t, I think it is possible he bypassed the bardo. He was soaked in practice over 50 years - the best practices with the best teachers. He could identify a great teacher and stuck with it. He had just been on retreat when he died. It Is said that Buddha Nature and samsara do not obstruct each other. I don’t think it is fruitful or even relevant to worry about Chris’s worldly path. He worked with what he had, and he was transparent. He was a beloved sangha member because he enjoyed people’s company so much, he had a great, self-effacing sense of humor, and he was well intentioned. At the same time, he could not constitutionally treat the sangha entirely as a social club. His critical mind got in the way. This was greatly to his credit, in my view. I don’t know many people with his discriminating awareness. I remember once he said he was attracted to a certain book but hadn’t read it. He asked me what I thought of it. I told him I didn’t think much of it. We conducted a challenge experiment, which he suggested. He opened the book to a random page and read out the first line his eyes came across. It was total bs, and we both knew it. He started to laugh hysterically. It was a delightful moment, similar to the result of a good debate, which is to get to the truth. I feel gladdened for having known him as a fellow yogi, and I feel encouraged by his example.