The Life of Allan Bennett, Bhikkhu Ananda Metteyya
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This is the first biography of Allan Bennett, one of the first British men to gain higher ordination as a Buddhist monk and one of the seminal figures in the development of Buddhism in the UK.
Bennett rejected Christianity early in his life and turned to late nineteenth century occultism and esoteric new religious movements, namely Theosophy and the Order of the Golden Dawn. His involvement in the latter led to friendship with Aleister Crowley. After he travelled to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in 1899 for health reasons – he had chronic asthma – he was attracted to Buddhism. Believing Buddhism in Burma (Myanmar) was purer than in Ceylon, he opted for ordination there in 1902.
From Burma, he created an international Buddhist network, founding the International Buddhist Society, the Buddhasāsana Samāgama and starting a journal, Buddhism – An Illustrated Quarterly Review. In 1908, he led a Buddhist mission to England. Convinced that the West needed Buddhism as an antidote to growing materialism, he became a prolific writer. Two volumes of his writings were published. The first recorded a series of talks he gave in London in 1917-1918, published just two months before he died (The Wisdom of the Aryas). The second was published posthumously (The Religion of Burma and Other Papers). Controversy has surrounded his life, particularly in western Buddhist circles, because of his early involvement with the occult.
Related Interest/Companion Volume
Selected Writings of Allan Bennett, Bhikkhu Ananda Metteyya
(Volume 2 of Allan Bennett, Bhikkhu Ananda Metteyya: Biography and Collected Writings)
Published: Sep 15, 2025
| Section | Chapter | Authors |
|---|---|---|
| Prelims | ||
| Acknowledgements | Elizabeth Harris, John Crow | |
| Introduction | ||
| Ananda Metteyya and Liminality | Elizabeth Harris, John Crow | |
| Chapter 1 | ||
| The Formative Years | Elizabeth Harris, John Crow | |
| Chapter 2 | ||
| Allan Bennett in Colonial Ceylon | Elizabeth Harris, John Crow | |
| Chapter 3 | ||
| Ananda Metteyya in Colonial Burma | Elizabeth Harris, John Crow | |
| Chapter 4 | ||
| Ananda Metteyya’s Mission to Britain and Return to Colonial Burma | Elizabeth Harris, John Crow | |
| Chapter 5 | ||
| In Britain: 1914-1923 | Elizabeth Harris, John Crow | |
| Chapter 6 | ||
| Ananda Metteyya’s Legacy | Elizabeth Harris, John Crow | |
| Conclusion | ||
| Concluding Thoughts | Elizabeth Harris, John Crow | |
| End Matter | ||
| Selective Glossary | Elizabeth Harris, John Crow | |
| Bibliography | Elizabeth Harris, John Crow | |