Ceylon, yoga and Buddhism At some time between 1889 and 1900, in his late twenties, Bennett traveled to Asia to relieve his chronic asthma, after submersing himself in the study
Buddhism. He traveled to
Ceylon as a self-converted Buddhist, staying at Kamburugamuwa in the Matara district for four months, Bennett studied the
Pali language and the root Theravadan Teachings under an elder Sinhala monk Venerable Revata Thera. Cassius Pereira later recalled that "such was the brilliance of his intellect that he had mastered that ancient tongue in six months and could fluently converse." Further that Bennett "made many close friends amongst the Buddhists of Ceylon, who gave him much assistance in every way." Bennett also spent time visiting monasteries, monks and sacred sites, familiarising and immersing himself with the Buddhist culture and practice of Ceylon. In Colombo he studied
Hatha Yoga under the
yogi Ponnambalam Ramanathan (Shri Parananda) who was said to be a man of "profound religious knowledge". As Bennett's health improved, he served as tutor to the younger sons of the Shri Parananda, who was a high-caste Tamil and the Solicitor General of Ceylon.
Florence Farr a prior Golden Dawn associate, was also to move over to Ceylon years later, and became the principal lady of Shri Parananda's College for Girls. Bennett joined the Sangha under the yogi and took the name Swami Maitrananda, which was already of Buddhist significance. The psychic potency of the man become more pronounced as he mastered the breathing techniques,
mantras, asana postures and
concentration practices in an amazingly short time period. Crowley visited Bennett in Kandy, and personally attended on him during a yogic meditation retreat. Crowley supported his retreat by quietly bringing food into the room nextdoor to where Bennett was
practising. Having missed two meals in a row, Crowley out of concern checked on Bennett finding him not seated on the central mat, but at the end of the room still in the
Padmasana yoga posture "in his knotted position, resting on his head and right shoulder, exactly like an image overturned." Crowley set him a right, and he came out of the trance quite unaware that anything unusual had happened. With his health improving in the warm weather, he was now free from the chronic cycle of drugs he had needed in England. Also, he had relinquished his experimentation into psychic and esoteric power. Bennett's quest for spiritual meaning had finally been quenched as he began to commit to the practice and Teachings of
Theravada Buddhism. Crowley noted Bennett was "the noblest and gentlest soul I have ever known", and in spite of his teacher & friend's prior experimentation that "Allan was already at heart a Buddhist". Egil Asprem states "Following Bennett's example Crowley also engaged in a more intimate relation with Buddhism during his visit and would subsequently consider himself a Buddhist for many years". Bennett later recounts "The native, and correct, designation of the pure form of Buddhism now prevalent in Burma, Ceylon, and Siam is Theravādha, 'The Tradition of the Elders' or, as we might justly render it, the Traditional, Original, or Orthodox School." His intellect, spiritual endeavour and faith sees this school as the "pure and simple" ... "practically unchanged after twenty-five centuries", that its inheritance is not mythical but rather "the actual words" the Buddha employed on his "religious mission" that are still rolling down to the present. In July 1901, Bennett gave a talk at the Theosophical Society in Colombo named the "
Four Noble Truths". Attending this talk was the young Cassius Pereira who was so deeply moved at this talk, it changed his life, and he became a lifelong friend of Bennett and later also took up the robes. Bennett, at this time decided he would lead a Buddhist Mission to England. To do this he realised it must be carried out by a Bhikkhu of the Buddha's Sangha, thus seeing the limitations in Ceylon he set his vision on
Higher Ordination in the Theravada Buddhist Order of monks in Burma. He had come to the see that the path of
renunciation, was the only path for him, the more he studied and practised the more he was attracted to it.
Out of darkness into the light Bennett travelled to the coastal city of
Akyab and took up residence at the Buddhist monastery, the Lamma Sayadaw Kyoung. Bennett was accepted into the Order by Lamrna Saradaw as a
Samanera (novice monk) on 8 December 1901. During this time he spent his time learning and improving further his knowledge of Pali, learning the duties of a Buddhist Monk and writing Buddhist papers for a publication Ceylon. Half a year later, on
Vesak Day the
Full Moon May 1902, a long line of seventy-four Buddhist monks proceed from Kyarook Kyoung towards the wharf edge for the new Samanera's Higher Ordination. The ceremony was taken place on the water, presided by Sheve Bya Sayadaw, and it is here that he moved from the
ten precepts of a novice to the 227
precepts of a Buddhist Bhikkhu. Still unacquainted with the Burmese tongue, Shwe Zedi Saradaw translated each sentence into English, likely the first occurrence of this happening in history. His ordination name was Ananda Maitreya, a
Sanskrit name, soon to be changed to the
Pali rendition Ananda Metteyya to be inline with the
Theravada roots, which means "Bliss of loving kindness".
Ananda was also the name of
Gautama Buddha's attendant, and the Sanskrit
Maitreya and the Pali Metteyya are the name of the coming Buddha stated in the
suttas. With fresh vigour he addressed the
Sangha at this auspicious ceremony, outlining how he intended to help spread Buddhism to the West. He spoke of the conflicts that were forming due to the clash of
science and religion, and spoke of a vision of bringing to the West that shining faith and Path of the Buddha that he had first truly experienced in Ceylon. Crow quotes him as stating "Herein, then, lies the work that is before me", that his purpose is to "carry to the Lands of the West the
Law of Love and Truth" declared by the Buddha, to establish a Sangha of
Bhikkhus in his name. Metteyya filled with zeal closes the speech with: "bringing from the East even unto the West, the splendour of a Dawn beyond our deepest conception; bringing joy from sorrow, and out of Darkness, LIGHT." Metteyya was the second known Englishman to be ordained as a Bhikkhu, after
Gordon Douglas who was ordained in
Ceylon 1899. During Metteyya's ordination speech he made an earnest call to "countrymen ... who will come to the East, and receive the requisite Ordination, and acquire a thorough knowledge of the
Dharma" to help teach the West, "this work I have already commenced on a small scale." Harris states Metteyya made a "call for five men from four countries to come to Burma to be trained for higher ordination." One such German man, who may have heard this call, travelled to find Metteyya and soon ordained as a novice, staying on with Metteyya for a month. The
sāmaṇera then went to Kyundaw monastery, which was nearby boarding the forest, and in February 1904 was accepted into the Sangha as
Ñāṇatiloka Bhikkhu, the first known continental European to receive higher ordination. He was later grateful for meeting the supporters of Metteyya and made use at one point of the hut that had been built for Metteyya. Harris holds a letter from 10 February 1905, were Metteyya is commending Ñāṇatiloka asking Cassius Perera if he would help him further stating "he is an easily-contented mortal, with a very gentle and considerate nature". Ñāṇatiloka went on to become the father of western monks in Ceylon.
Brotherly bonds of all mankind In
Rangoon 1903, Metteyya and
Ernest Reinhold Rost co-founded the International Buddhist Society known as Buddhasāsana Samāgama. It was an "international Buddhist society that aimed at the global networking of Buddhists." Its motto was "Sabbadānaṁ dhammadānaṁ jināti" meaning "The Gift of Truth Excels All Gifts" taken from the
Dhammapada v. 354. Metteyya was Secretary General and made
Edwin Arnold, the man who was the first to illuminate the Buddhas Path to him with the
Light of Asia, the first honorary member of the Society. Harris goes on to state that "Buddhasāsana Samāgama gained official representatives in Austria, Burma, Ceylon, China, Germany, Italy, America, and England." Enthusiasm and greetings began to pour in from all around the world. His friend Cassius Pereira (who later entered the
Sangha, becoming Bhikkhu Kassapa in 1947 at the Vajiraramaya Temple) referring to this period recalls that Metteyya gave several "inspiring addresses from the Maitriya Hall". Pereira's Father built Maitriya Hall at Lauries Road,
Bambalapitiya in honour of Ānanda Metteyya, its related group 'Servants of the Buddha' has been active down to the 21st century. The Buddhasāsana Samāgama garnered an immediate interest, with three hundred attendees at a
Conversazione in Rangoon, a few months after its inception. In September 1903, whilst still in Rangoon, Metteyya began a periodical called
Buddhism: An Illustrated Review. Metteyya was instrumental in its production and appears in the prospectus with Dr. Ross as secretary-general. The Quarterly Review was really the heart pulse of the society, which was sent to all Members without additional cost and "sold to the General Public at three
shillings a copy". However, funding was difficult and further the work was often delayed due to Metteyya's sickness. Metteyya avidly contributed to each addition, for example some of his first works were
In the Shadow of Shwe Dagon, "Nibbāṇa", "Transmigration" & "The Law of Righteousness". Buddhasāsana Samāgama also notably printed its constitution and rules in Volume 1 Issue 2. During this time Albert Edmunds helped to promote the journal, he too openly hoped for a synthesis between the east and the west. Edmunds acceptance of the position of America representative to the Society, was more humanitarian "I have taken this Rangoon representativeship so as to be useful and justify my existence." Further explaining "I am not a Buddhist, but a philosopher who believes that a knowledge of Buddhism will liberalize Christianity ..." Tweed further explaining Edmund's rationale "it seemed to be capable of broadening Christianity and fusing cultures." So Edmunds became the person of note in North America and at the same time
Anagarika Dharmapala and one J. F. McKechnie became inspired after reading Metteyya's article 'Nibbana'. McKechnie stated "It seemed to me couched in a fine style of English and moderate, rational, clear and convincing in its argument", he was inspired and moved, saying "It hit me where I lived". McKechnie soon answered and appeal and became sub-editor of the journal, and within some years had himself left to Burma to become Bhikkhu
Sīlācāra. While fitful due to Metteyya's illness, the
Illustrated Review was considered a success. Thought pioneer
James Allen (author of
As a Man Thinketh),
Rhys Davis, Shwe Zan Aung,
Paul Carus,
J. F. M'Kechnie, Cassius Pereira and
Maung Khin (barrister from Rangoon whom was later a Chief Justice of the High Court) are some of the contributing authors in the first few publications. Mrs. Hla Oung who was the sponsor of Metteyya hut in Ceylon, who was daughter of the late Sitkegyi Oo Tawlay, wife of Oo Hla Oung (Controller of the Indian Treasuries), also appears in the first issue in an article entitled "The Women of Burma". Due to said distributions there were only six issues of
Buddhism printed between 1903 and 1908. Harris details the principles underlining the
missionary and international vision outlined in the first issue. One, "to set before the world the true principles of our Religion" to give rise to "wide-spread acceptance among the peoples of the West" its true practice as a vehicle to promote general happiness. Two and three set to encourage wholehearted humanitarian activities and to further those interested in ever growing numbers to unite under common brotherly bonds of all mankind in alignment with True Buddhist ideals. By December 2003, Volume 1 Issue 2 stated "Some five hundred copies of our first number were sent gratuitously to the Press,
Libraries, Universities and other institutions in the West" so that the real work of spreading the light to the West was well underway. Metteyya continued to maintain a high level of international contact and by 1904, thanks to the generous supporters in Burma, the periodical was appearing on the reading table of 500 to 600 libraries across Europe.
Christmas Humphreys states that the first issue appeared in September 1903, and the "production and quality of contents" was "the most remarkable Buddhist publication in English which has yet appeared", that ramifications of this and the ensuing five issues was immense. publication known as
Buddhism: An Illustrated Quarterly Review, appearing on the reading table of 500 to 600
libraries across Europe from 1903 to 1908. ==Buddhist Society of Great Britain and Ireland==