Professor Herbert Guenther, also known as Professor Herbert Vighnantaka Gunther, was a brilliant translator, philosopher, and practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism. His impact on Buddhism, especially in the west, was tremendous and his works have shaped the minds of many western Tibetan Buddhist scholar-practitioners today. His depth of Buddhist understanding and practice led him to fearlessly address many modern philosophical issues faced by contemporary man from a transformative Buddhist perspective. While the everyday Buddhist practitioner may not know his name, his legacy is vast; his works are of philosophical importance, and as such, invaluable to the avid Buddhist practitioner today.   Early Life and Education Born March 17, 1917, in the city of Bremen, Germany, Herbert Guenther was the only son of sculptor Reinhold Guenther and his dear wife Dorothea Guenther. From a young age, it was evident that his fascination with the east was overwhelming. He had a distinct yearning to learn more about the cultures of Central and Southeast Asia, to the extent that he could be found wondering through the Asia section of Bremen’s Ethnographic Museum, and spent his time reading books on the history or exploration of these areas that he bought using most of his pocket […]