| From the Galleries |
1703 pictures in 26 albums
Members' Creations
Altar of Babalon
Last Updated Picture:
'Chinese Dragons' Automatic Drawing by Chris Anthony Wills
|
|
| Statistics |
Site visits since 30 September 2003:
21,500,074
Yesterday's visits:
27,865
Registrations:
Today: 1
Yesterday: 4
Overall: 5407
Newest Members:
|
|
| Review Submissions |
Attention authors, publishers and retailers! Are you trying to market a newly-released Thelemic product? This site is viewed daily up to 20,000 times by some of the most influential Thelemites. If you'd like to bring your product to their attention, contact us now to arrange for a review to be placed on lashtal.com.
|
|
| Random Quote |
|
I have never grown out of the infantile belief that the universe was made for me to suck.
-- Aleister Crowley
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
wolf354 |
|
Post subject: Allan Bennett
 Posted: Jun 03, 2007 - 02:54 AM
|
|
Joined: Jan 17, 2006
Posts: 211
Status: Offline
|
|
Greetings
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law
I continue to look for deeper information regarding Allan Bennett. It's a fascinating person.
He was the first teacher of Crowley in Ceremonial Magick and Yoga (and probably more things), and one of the few persons that deserved Crowley's respect during his all life.
Bennett's article in the Equinox 5, "The training of the mind" using his buddhist name Ananda Metteya is brilliant, leaving many texts ashamed of trying to write about the same subject (including me  ).
I remenber reading somewhere that he and Mrs Patterson where the only persons able to assume different physical bodies.
Though I've searched for a deeper study of him, I never found much information. Does anyone know of such a book?
If not this would be a great book and I wouldn't even bother to pay for it before the release (and I doubt I am the only one).
Love is the law, love under will
Best regards |
_________________
Be thou therefore prompt and active as the Sylphs, but avoid frivolity and caprice; be energetic and strong like the Salamanders, but avoid irritability and ferocity; be flexible and attentive to images like the Undines, but avoid idleness and changeability; be laborious and patient like the Gnomes, but avoid grossness and avarice.
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
kidneyhawk |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 03, 2007 - 03:39 AM
|
|
Joined: Jun 02, 2006
Posts: 1140
Status: Offline
|
|
Bennett is a fascinating person. He certainly disappointed Crowley by bringing Buddhism to the West (vs. Magick to the East) and yet he was one of the only people whom AC never had a falling out with. There was a genuine power in Bennett (and I'm not referring to his power to levitate-or demonstrate just how effective a "blasting wand" can be!). He carried some sort of inner power and I think AC understood that after their shared "GD Days," Bennett found and followed out his True Will and Path.
I found info about him via Google a while back and I agree with you, a tome dedicated to his life with all its minutia would be well worth any cash asked! |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Aum418 |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 03, 2007 - 04:53 AM
|
|
Joined: Oct 01, 2006
Posts: 812
Status: Offline
|
|
An excerpt of sorts from a larger work of mine...
"At the time Aleister Crowley was exploring the Buddhist tradition, Eastern religions were generally looked upon as primitive or exotic by the Western world. The first translation of the Dhammapada into English came only in 1869 from Max Müller. This translation was later featured more prominently in the “Sacred Books of the East” series in 1885, issued when Aleister Crowley was 10 years old. Crowley was one of the first Western students to seriously explore and explain Buddhism as a legitimate spiritual, psychological, and philosophical system.
The influence of Buddhism on Aleister Crowley comes primarily from one man - Allan Bennett (1872-1923). Bennett was arguably the first Englishman to be accepted in a Buddhist monastery, he created the International Buddhist Society in 1903 in Burma, issued the periodical Buddhism, and led the first Buddhist mission to England in 1908. In short, he was a very powerful and prominent figure in the early effort to bring Buddhism to the West in the beginning of the 20th century.
Crowley first met Bennett at a Golden Dawn ritual ceremony. Bennett had been initiated into the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a pseudo-Masonic and Hermetic fraternity, in 1894 and proceeded to the Second Order thereof in 1895; he was a talented magician and was very close to MacGregor Mathers, the head of the Order. As described in Crowley’s Confessions, while disrobing after the ritual, Bennett approached Crowley and said “Little brother, you have been meddling with the Goetia!” which are demons that are descsribed in the famous 17th century grimoire known as the Lemegeton. Crowley said that he hadn’t been doing anything of the sort, to which Bennett replied, “In that case, the Goetia has been meddling with you.” Clearly impressed by the man, Crowley called him the next day to receive instruction on the occult from him. Crowley moved into his flat on Chancery Lane and became Bennett’s student in ceremonial magic and Buddhism for a while. They formed a harmonious relationship and, apparently, Bennett even saw fit to teach Crowley things from the Second Order of the Golden Dawn to which he formally was not entitled to learn. Allan Bennett’s asthma was complicated by London’s climate so, combined with the fact that he also wished to study the Eastern traditions with the legitimate native teachers, he moved to Ceylon.
Sutin observes that “Crowley was approaching the viewpoint of Theravada Buddhism” in 1900 as illustrated by the ideas in his poem “The Growth of God” from his stay in Mexico. The poem has themes of suffering and dissolution of the self which is common in Buddhism. In April of 1901, Crowley stopped in San Francisco before his trip to meet with Bennet in Ceylon. While there, he spent most of his time in Chinatown and a Buddhist temple, burning incense. Crowley later arrived in Japan and attempted to enter Buddhist monasteries here, but he was turned away. Both of these occurrences show the growing interest and absorption Crowley had in Buddhist studies in 1901 – just three years before the reception of Liber AL vel Legis.
In Ceylon, Bennett was the tutor of the sons of P. Ramanathan, a Shaivite Hindu (a sect that worships Shiva as the supreme God), who in turn taught Bennett the practices of yoga. Crowley joined Bennet as a student of Ramanathan for merely a week, and then he suggested to Bennet that they continue their studies that they had begun earlier in London by moving to Kandy in the middle of Ceylon. They left Ramanathan and studied yoga intensely in Kandy. Sutin claims that “fundamentally, most of what Crowley knew firsthand of yoga came from his six weeks with Bennett in Ceylon.” At this time, Crowley claims to have attained the meditative state of dhyana on October 1 and 2 of 1901. Very soon after this success, Crowley moved on to other pursuits – namely, the climbing of the infamous mountain K2 with Oscar Eckenstein during the spring of 1902.
In November of 1902, Bennett left to Burma to study in a Buddhist monastery - the first English man to do so - under the Lamma Sayadaw Kyoung, and Crowley departed to attempt the K2 climb. At this monastery, Bennett would take on the name of Bhikku Ananda Metteyya.
In 1902, Crowley made his way back to Burma for about a week to visit Allan Bennett and speak about Buddhism and the practice of magic. Bennett had parted with the practice of magic and obviously turned strongly towards Buddhism. Although at this time Crowley was strongly Buddhist in his ideals, he would not abandon the practice of magic completely like Bennett. Crowley would go on to publicize the practice of magic - renamed “magick” by him “to distinguish the Science of the Magi from all its counterfeits” like stage tricks and illusions - by publishing such books as Magick in Theory and Practice in 1929."
Hope this is of use to you.
65 & 210,
111-418 |
_________________
.: http://iao131.cjb.net :.
-~: The Journal of Thelemic Studies :~-
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
KCh |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 03, 2007 - 08:18 AM
|
|
Joined: Oct 08, 2003
Posts: 232
Location: Louisville, Ky
Status: Offline
|
|
| Just a point of contention here, Allan Bennett did not 'abandon' the practice of magic. At the end of his life he was left dissatisfied with Buddhism and returned to his homeland with only a few possessions, his blasting rod and a few books. He took up magic once again but was too late in the end. He died, I believe, without giving back to humanity the full storehouse of his wisdom and experience he so rightfully earned. His previous severe asceticism killed all chance for him to spread his love and knowledge. |
_________________
Theorte Ekstasis
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
MichaelStaley |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 03, 2007 - 09:44 AM
|
|
Joined: Apr 21, 2004
Posts: 794
Status: Offline
|
|
KCh wrote: › Just a point of contention here, Allan Bennett did not 'abandon' the practice of magic. At the end of his life he was left dissatisfied with Buddhism and returned to his homeland with only a few possessions, his blasting rod and a few books. He took up magic once again but was too late in the end. He died, I believe, without giving back to humanity the full storehouse of his wisdom and experience he so rightfully earned. His previous severe asceticism killed all chance for him to spread his love and knowledge.
That's very interesting to read, KCh. What sources are you drawing upon here? |
_________________
"It's all in the egg".
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
anpi |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 03, 2007 - 12:38 PM
|
|
Joined: May 26, 2007
Posts: 176
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Status: Offline
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MichaelStaley |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 03, 2007 - 01:15 PM
|
|
Joined: Apr 21, 2004
Posts: 794
Status: Offline
|
|
Thanks for that link, anpi. I learn from it that Bennett had to leave Burma because of ill-health, not because of any disillusionment with Buddhism. It also makes it plain that he remained a committed Buddhist until his death in London in 1923.
Why is it, I wonder, that someone should be so eager to deduce from Bennett's return to England that it was because of disillusionment with Buddhism?
 |
_________________
"It's all in the egg".
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
wolf354 |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 03, 2007 - 01:28 PM
|
|
Joined: Jan 17, 2006
Posts: 211
Status: Offline
|
|
Greetings
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law
MichaelStaley wrote: › KCh wrote: › ...
That's very interesting to read, KCh. What sources are you drawing upon here?
I remenber reading this story once here at Lashtal, and quiet dubious story.
It's a secret society (forgot the name) that claims to be the heir of Crowley's teacher, Allan Bennett, that was disapointed with Buddhism and had lost all his past friends.
I doubt it very much, first there is no reference of Bennett becoming tired of Buddhism. And secondely I doubt that if Crowley (among others) knew this kind of information would just ignore it.
It seems an advertisement trick.
Bennett was one of the more powerful Magicians referenced, if he decided to leave Magick behind and embrace a Religion (Buddhism), for me it is hard to believe a sudden change of mind when near his death.
Love is the law, love under will
Best regards |
_________________
Be thou therefore prompt and active as the Sylphs, but avoid frivolity and caprice; be energetic and strong like the Salamanders, but avoid irritability and ferocity; be flexible and attentive to images like the Undines, but avoid idleness and changeability; be laborious and patient like the Gnomes, but avoid grossness and avarice.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
James |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 03, 2007 - 07:50 PM
|
|
Joined: Feb 27, 2004
Posts: 154
Location: London
Status: Offline
|
|
Allan Bennet also wrote some books on Buddhism for Westerners which are, to my knowledge, now out of print. The are available at the Buddhist Society at 58 Eccleston Square London (020 7834 5858). There are potted biographies of AB too written by western Buddhist authors but these almost entirely ignore his magical work and association with Crowley. I haven't got the references to hand but a call to the society would I'm sure give more details of works by and about him from their helpful staff.
I remember a few years ago a move by the then director of the BS to raise money for a headstone for Bennett's grave in Morden cemetery but nothing came of it. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 03, 2007 - 07:54 PM
|
|
Joined: Jan 02, 2006
Posts: 205
Location: New York
|
|
Bennett was buried? That's interesting.
John |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
KCh |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 03, 2007 - 09:36 PM
|
|
Joined: Oct 08, 2003
Posts: 232
Location: Louisville, Ky
Status: Offline
|
|
That article is extremely partial to the Buddhist point of view and sources which have more of an agenda than honesty.
When I say he took up magic again, I mean that he began to expound his wisdom in his best capacity for others to gain from, instead of squatting like a holy hen for the remainder of his life.
Read his books if you can find them anymore, they have more than just a slight tinge of the magical. |
_________________
Theorte Ekstasis
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
MichaelStaley |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 03, 2007 - 10:20 PM
|
|
Joined: Apr 21, 2004
Posts: 794
Status: Offline
|
|
KCh wrote: › When I say he took up magic again, I mean that he began to expound his wisdom in his best capacity for others to gain from, instead of squatting like a holy hen for the remainder of his life.
But even prior to his final return to England, he was hardly "squatting like a holy hen", and I'm sorry you choose to caricature him and doubtless other mystics as such. For instance, he led a Buddhist mission to the West several years before.
Your antipathy to what you regard as mysticism - for instance, your drawing attention to the early Crowley article 'The dangers of Mysticism' - is obvious. And yet, so much of Crowley's work is saturated with it - for instance, The Book of Lies and Liber Aleph; as is so much of Liber AL itself. If there really is a divergence between mysticism and magick, then magick seems to be the means for attaining to mystical goals. What is attaining to the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel, or Crossing the Abyss, for instance, if not mystical? |
_________________
"It's all in the egg".
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
wolf354 |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 03, 2007 - 10:22 PM
|
|
Joined: Jan 17, 2006
Posts: 211
Status: Offline
|
|
Greetings
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law
Bennett was a Buddhist even before going to Ceylon. Crowley's disapointment seems to be of seeing such a powerful individual ignoring Magick.
If Ananda Metteya tried to expound is wisdom he wasn't very successeful. I never read many texts from him apart from the ones "pushed" by Crowley. Stranger is that Crowley used anonymous texts in the Equinox, "Handbook of Geomancy" was a reserved text from Mathers only for Golden Dawn members with some edition by Crowley in public printing, but kept Bennett's name in 777 for instance.
With so much research done on Crowley and Spare this seems a big miss in published material.
When I have a better financial situation I will try to find his buddhist books (though it doesn't excite me to read them).
Love is the law, love under will
Best regards |
_________________
Be thou therefore prompt and active as the Sylphs, but avoid frivolity and caprice; be energetic and strong like the Salamanders, but avoid irritability and ferocity; be flexible and attentive to images like the Undines, but avoid idleness and changeability; be laborious and patient like the Gnomes, but avoid grossness and avarice.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
MichaelStaley |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 04, 2007 - 01:01 PM
|
|
Joined: Apr 21, 2004
Posts: 794
Status: Offline
|
|
wolf354 wrote: › Crowley's disapointment seems to be of seeing such a powerful individual ignoring Magick.
I don't think that Bennett was ignoring Magick, but using different means to achieve his goals. He experimented with GD techniques, and doubtless others, but moved on to something else. In the course of magical and mystical work, perspectives and methods change. I've never come across anything to suggest that Bennett disparaged magick; in all probability, he would have seen it as one path amongst many, one which he was perhaps committed to at one time but which led on to other things.
wolf354 wrote: › If Ananda Metteya tried to expound is wisdom he wasn't very successeful. I never read many texts from him apart from the ones "pushed" by Crowley.
Bennett as Ananda Metteya led an early Buddhist mission to the West, so I think that he did try to "expound his wisdom". It fell largely though not completely on deaf ears, which is another matter. I doubt though that he would have been interested in expounding "his" wisdom in the same way that Crowley expounded his - firstly perhaps due to temperament, but secondly because he would have seen himself as one amongst many expounding Buddhism, whereas Crowley was expounding Thelema as something unique.
m.klaw's post in the ShoutBox, pointing out that Bennett dedicated one of his books to Clifford Bax, is interesting. Bax had quite a web of contacts: Spare, Crowley, Neuberg, for instance. Given this, it would be interesting to know if Crowley ever met Bennett after the latter's return to England. Perhaps Crowley's diaries between the return from America and the founding of the Abbey might throw some light on this? |
_________________
"It's all in the egg".
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
wolf354 |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 04, 2007 - 07:00 PM
|
|
Joined: Jan 17, 2006
Posts: 211
Status: Offline
|
|
Greetings
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law
MichaelStaley wrote: › wolf354 wrote: › Crowley's disapointment seems to be of seeing such a powerful individual ignoring Magick.
I don't think that Bennett was ignoring Magick, but using different means to achieve his goals. He experimented with GD techniques, and doubtless others, but moved on to something else. In the course of magical and mystical work, perspectives and methods change. I've never come across anything to suggest that Bennett disparaged magick; in all probability, he would have seen it as one path amongst many, one which he was perhaps committed to at one time but which led on to other things.
I disagree with you.
If you can imagine meeting Crowley in person (after the reception of Al), after shaking hands you asked him what where the nine characteristics of Buddha and the best way to meditate on them, what do you think is answer would be?
After some net research I found who probably started the story of Bennett's resignation from Buddhism, one of the present Golden Dawn's connected with Cicero. Link here.
I don't believe it, but I can be wrong.
Strange that there seem to be so much Golden Dawn's as OTO's.
My next research will be tryng to find if Regardie ever expressed is opinion about Bennett.
Just a quick question, did Spare ever met Bennett? (I have no idea but it can be possible)
Love is the law, love under will
Best regards |
_________________
Be thou therefore prompt and active as the Sylphs, but avoid frivolity and caprice; be energetic and strong like the Salamanders, but avoid irritability and ferocity; be flexible and attentive to images like the Undines, but avoid idleness and changeability; be laborious and patient like the Gnomes, but avoid grossness and avarice.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
MichaelStaley |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 04, 2007 - 07:22 PM
|
|
Joined: Apr 21, 2004
Posts: 794
Status: Offline
|
|
wolf354 wrote: › I disagree with you. If you can imagine meeting Crowley in person (after the reception of Al), after shaking hands you asked him what where the nine characteristics of Buddha and the best way to meditate on them, what do you think is answer would be?
I am of the opinion that he would have answered my question, rather than take the opportunity to disparage Buddhism. It is my belief that he maintained knowledge, insight and respect for other paths throughout his life, rather than view them as "crapulous creeds". Unlike some of the Crowley ultras with whom we are blessed today, who imagine that Thelema consigns everything else to the dustbin of history.
wolf354 wrote: › Just a quick question, did Spare ever met Bennett?
I don't know. However, Bennett left England many years before Spare's somewhat brief relationship with Crowley, so probably not. |
_________________
"It's all in the egg".
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
wolf354 |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 04, 2007 - 07:56 PM
|
|
Joined: Jan 17, 2006
Posts: 211
Status: Offline
|
|
Greetings
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law
MichaelStaley wrote: ›
I am of the opinion that he would have answered my question, rather than take the opportunity to disparage Buddhism. It is my belief that he maintained knowledge, insight and respect for other paths throughout his life, rather than view them as "crapulous creeds". Unlike some of the Crowley ultras with whom we are blessed today, who imagine that Thelema consigns everything else to the dustbin of history.
Just my opinion... things don't have to be black and white. There are many answers between a clear response to an information request and the "disparage" of the same subject.
Speaking from myself there are many things I've did in the past that deserve my respect... but not my support.
Maybe it would be fun to join the "OTO Ultras" and in the weekends we could schedulle verbal fights agains the "No Name OTO" guys... hum, please don't take this last sentence serious.
Love is the law, love under will
Best regards |
_________________
Be thou therefore prompt and active as the Sylphs, but avoid frivolity and caprice; be energetic and strong like the Salamanders, but avoid irritability and ferocity; be flexible and attentive to images like the Undines, but avoid idleness and changeability; be laborious and patient like the Gnomes, but avoid grossness and avarice.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
MichaelStaley |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 04, 2007 - 10:36 PM
|
|
Joined: Apr 21, 2004
Posts: 794
Status: Offline
|
|
wolf354 wrote: › Maybe it would be fun to join the "OTO Ultras" and in the weekends we could schedulle verbal fights agains the "No Name OTO" guys...
Ahem . . . I did say "Crowley Ultras", not "OTO Ultras". Not quite the same thing. You're putting things into my mouth, as the actress said to the bishop.
Fortunately, though, it is not a matter of how you and I think that we might react. We have Crowley's writings, in which - by and large, and allowing for drugged outpourings - he was respectful towards other traditions; he was rarely if ever one to "spit upon your crapulous creeds".
Everything I have ever read about Bennett - largely mediated through Crowley, admittedly - suggests he would have reacted likewise.
Michael. |
_________________
"It's all in the egg".
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
wolf354 |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 05, 2007 - 07:31 PM
|
|
Joined: Jan 17, 2006
Posts: 211
Status: Offline
|
|
Greetings
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law
Found this .pdf link here in a Ceylon site describing Bennett's Life. A Buddhist description referring his burial.
Love is the law, love under will
Best regards |
_________________
Be thou therefore prompt and active as the Sylphs, but avoid frivolity and caprice; be energetic and strong like the Salamanders, but avoid irritability and ferocity; be flexible and attentive to images like the Undines, but avoid idleness and changeability; be laborious and patient like the Gnomes, but avoid grossness and avarice.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
lashtal |
|
|
Post subject:
Posted: Jun 05, 2007 - 08:50 PM
|
|
Site Admin
Joined: Sep 30, 2003
Posts: 2389
Location: Oxford, UK
Status: Offline
|
|
| Fascinating link. Thanks. |
| | | |
|
in 1° 
: 
in 16° 
: Anno IVxvi 
FAQ
Search
Register
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
