Henry Allan Bennett an
Englishman was born in London on 08 December, 1872. His
father Bennett was a civil and electrical engineer who
died when Allan was very young. Young Allan was brought
up by Macgregor, and during the lifetime of the foster
father, he was known as Allen Macgregor.His humble
beginning is mentioned by J. F. M’Kechnie (former
Bhikkhu Silacara) at a meeting held to
commemorate Ven Ananda Metteyya’s
tenth death anniversary.
I started doing my own research on Ven. Ananda
Metteyya’s contribution to Buddhism in the West, for the
Centenary Celebrations of the Establishment of Buddhism
in the UK, at the architect of the project. I am most
grateful to him for his direction and support to make my
task a fruitful one. I am also thankful to the officers
of the Archives and the Museum Library in Colombo and
the Buddhist Society, the theosophical Society and the
British Library in London and many others for their kind
assistance.
As an introduction I would like to say that the
Gnosticism, theosophy and occultism made the way to
Buddhism to the West. For instance, in 1828 J.J.Schmidt
of St. Petersburg (where the early Buddhist university
was), wrote on the relations of the Gnostic-Theosophical
teachings with Buddhism. The Theosophical Society which
was started by Col. H. S. Olcott made a gigantic impact
over the studies on Buddhism. But the first ever known
European who migrated to the East, during 1786, in
search of Enlightenment was Athenian Greek, Dimitrios
Galanos (1760-1833). He learnt Sanskrit and translated
many religious books into Greek. (The manuscript of his
Sanskrit dictionary is yet preserved in the National
Library of Greece) The second known Western student of
Buddhism went to India in 1833. He was Hungarian
aristocrat, Alexander Csoma de Korosi (1784-1842).
Initially I like to state Sri Lanka’s early contribution
to the spread of Buddhism in the West. British colonial
Civil Servants working in Sri Lanka were enamoured by
Buddha’s Philosophy as elucidated by Sri Lankan
scholarly monks.
Roots of Buddhism
They started studying Pali to get to the roots of
Buddhism. After returning from Sri Lanka, they started
publications on Buddhism, and translations of the Pali
Canon. Among them were Rockhill, Oldenberg, Samuel Beal,
Robert Childers (author of the first English-Pali
Dictionary), George Turner and T. W. Rhys Davids (the
founder of the Pali Text Society). Even, Sir Edwin
Arnold, the author of the epic poem, The Light of Asia,
a civil servant in India visited Sri Lanka to discuss
Buddhism with Ven. Hikkaduwe Sumangala Thera and David
Hawavitarane (Anagarika Dhammapala). Therefore, there
was a great interest in Buddhism and Sri Lanka’s
heritage. Gorden Douglous was one such person, who was
enchanted with Sri Lanka. He went to Sri Lanka and was
ordained as Bhikkhu Asoka at the Jayasekhararamaya at
Kuppiyawatta, Colombo. But he did not return to the UK,
and passed away when in Burma.
Henry Allan Bennett an Englishman was born in London on
08 December, 1872. His father Bennett was a civil and
electrical engineer who died when Allan was very young.
Young Allan was brought up by Macgregor, and during the
lifetime of the foster father, he was known as Allen
Macgregor.His humble beginning is mentioned by J. F.
M’Kechnie (former Bhikkhu Silacara) at a meeting held to
commemorate Ven Ananda Metteyya’s tenth death
anniversary. According to him, Bennett was a man who
knew what suffering was, both physical and mental. His
chromic ill-health was due to privations endured in
early life. “When quite young he obtained a job in the
laboratory of the London City analyst, as a
bottle-washer, at ten shillings a week, and from the
ages of fourteen to eighteen never knew what it was to
have a fully satisfied stomach.”
Young Allan Bennett was educated at a Roman Catholic
school at Hollesly College (in Hollesely Bay area) and
at Bath. He worked as an analytical chemist under Dr.
Bernard Dyer, official analyst to the London Corn
Industry.
On 24 March, 1893 he joined the Theosophical Society. He
was enrolled to the ‘Secret Doctrine’ classes of H.P.
Blavatsky. In this way he gradually turned to mysterious
activities and became versatile, in occult sciences. In
1894, he joined the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn,
whose members keenly practised spiritual growth through
esoteric knowledge. By this time he had gained a name as
a magician or a man of mystery. Even as a monk he had
the tendency to appreciate psychic powers. In January,
1899 he received lodgings in a flat where his closest
associate Aleister Crowley resided and. Crowley learnt
Magic and Yoga from Bennett. Crowley also visited Sri
Lanka and Burma when Bennett was there and included
descriptions about Ven. Ananda Metteyya, in his
autobiography.
In 1890, as a teenager of 18 years, Bennett had read Sir
Edwin Arnold’s “Light of Asia”. It impressed him and he
became curious about Buddhist teachings. His
contemplative mood gradually brought him to a position
where he gave up all worldly and esoteric activities.
Early in 1900, to learn more about the Buddhist
Doctrine, he emigrated to Sri Lanka. It is said that a
lady known as Laura gave him some money to buy tickets
to travel by ship.
Accommodation for him to stay in Sri Lanka was provided
by Dr. W Arthur de Silva, who gave letters to Richard
(John Ellensen) Pereira (father of Dr. Cassius, Richard
Lionel and Merrill Wilson) introducing Allan Bennett. He
was not only warmly welcome by J. E. Richard Pereira,
but he also accompanied Allan Bennett to a Venerable
Monk who later taught him Pali and Buddhism. The Pereira
family members were reputed Buddhist leaders and well
educated professionals. Most of the members of this
family were in the legal profession. But, Dr. Cassius
(Affeleck) Pereira (later Ven Kassapa) was a physician.
They joined hands with the Hewavitarana family and
readily helped those who were anxiously waiting to
become the followers of the Buddha.
Divigalahena temple
I was faced with the challenge of identifying the
teacher monk in Sri Lanka who gave Allan Bennett a
thorough knowledge of the Pali Language and Buddhism.
Dr. Cassius Pereira had written in the obituary given to
a magazine, (which is included in this souvenir) that
the name of the renowned Monk was Ven. Revata and he
lived in a temple at Kamburugamuwa. With the help of
Ven. Mapalagama Nalaka Thera, Ven. Ingiriye Udita Thera
and Panagoda Gamage Sanath I proceeded to Kamburugamuwa
and we found a half dilapidated temple with a Dhamma
school named ‘Revata Daham Pasala.’ Villagers called
this temple ‘Divigalahena Pansala’.
But the resident monk Ven. Karatota Shantananda Thera
told us that the real name of the temple is ‘Devagiri
Vihara.’ Though the old buildings are neglected and
reduced to ruins, we found a mausoleum with an engraved
grave stone. The engraving states that it was
established in memory of Ven. Weragampita Revata Thera.
I interviewed several elderly villagers over 80 years of
age about their memory and their elders. Some of them
assured that Allen Bennett or as the villagers called
him ‘kehatu Sudda’ (Slim white gentleman) stayed in this
temple as a lay pupil of the said prelate. According to
the rumours among the villagers Ven. Weragampita Revata
Thera had a wonderful memory in oriental languages and
the Pali Canon and commentaries. He is said to have had
an ability to converse even in English. Ven. Palane
Vajiragnana Thera, Ven. Narada Thera, Ven. Madihe
Pannasiha Thera, Ven. Piyadassi Thera were among the
pupil monks, who were brought up by this monk ‘par
excellence.’
Allan Bennett studied the Pali language until he could
converse fluently. After the completion of studies, he
came back to Colombo and at the request of the English
speaking community, he started giving lectures on
Buddhism. One such lecture was on “The Four Noble
Truths” at the ‘The Buddhist Lodge’ the headquarter of
the Theosophical Society in Pettah, Colombo. Later he
has delivered sermons, even as a monk at The Maitriya
Hall (at the Mettarama premises in Bambalapitiya,
Colombo, Sri Lanka) which has been built by the father
of Cassius Pereira for Dhamma preaching. The hall was
named after Bhikkhu Ananda Metteyya. Ven. Ananda
Metteyya Thera stayed mostly at the Vajiraramaya temple
in Bambalapitiya. Allan Bennett went to Kandy where
Ponnambalam Ramanathan, then Solicitor-General of Sri
Lanka, was residing. He started giving tuition to the
younger child of Ramanathan, on Science, Mathematics and
English. In return Ramanathan taught Bennett the theory
and practice of Yoga. Ponnambalam Ramanathan visited
London under Allan Bennett’s guidance and introductions
and gave lectures on spirituality. After returning to
Sri Lanka in September, 1912 he established the Hindu
Girls College in Jaffna and appointed Mrs. Florence
Farr, (a friend of Allan Bennett), as its Principal.
(Even today Ramanathan Girls College is a very famous
leading girlsschool) Mrs. Farr died in Sri Lanka in
April 29, 1917.
පසෙලාස්වක
අව
අටවක
අමාවක
පුර අටවක