Bede Griffiths | |
|---|---|
 Griffiths in 1984 | |
| Born | Alan Richard Griffiths (1906-12-17)17 December 1906 Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England |
| Died | 13 May 1993(1993-05-13) (aged 86) Shantivanam,Tamil Nadu, India |
| Nationality | English, Indian |
| Other names | Swami Dayananda |
| Alma mater | Magdalen College, Oxford |
| Occupation(s) | Catholic priest,monk,mystic, theologian |
Bede GriffithsOSB Cam[1] (17 December 1906 – 13 May 1993), bornAlan Richard Griffiths and also known by the end of his life asSwami Dayananda ("bliss of compassion"), was a BritishCatholic priest andBenedictine monk who lived inashrams in South India and became a notedmissionary. Griffiths was a part of theChristian Ashram Movement.
Griffiths was born inWalton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, at the end of 1906, the youngest of three children of a middle-class family. Shortly after Griffiths' birth, his father was betrayed by a business partner and was left penniless. His mother took the children and established residence in a smaller home which she maintained, though she had to find work to support herself and the children. At age 12, Griffiths was sent toChrist's Hospital, a private charity school for children from families of modest means.[2] He excelled in his studies and earned a scholarship to theUniversity of Oxford where, in 1925, he began his studies in English literature and philosophy atMagdalen College. In his third year at university he came under the tutelage ofC. S. Lewis, who became a lifelong friend. Griffiths graduated from Oxford in 1929 with a degree in journalism.
Shortly after graduation, Griffiths, with fellow Oxford alumniMartyn Skinner and Hugh Waterman, settled in a cottage in theCotswolds and began what they called an "experiment in common living".[3] They followed a lifestyle attuned to nature, milking cows and selling the milk to support themselves. They would read the Bible together as a form of literature. Griffiths noted a strong connection between the teachings ofscripture and the rhythm of the nature around them. The experiment lasted less than a year, as one of the friends found the life too demanding. Nevertheless, the experience had a strong effect on Griffiths.
As a result of this experience, Griffiths decided to seekordination in theChurch of England. He was advised, however, to gain some experience in the slums of London. This advice was so contrary to what Griffiths felt to be hisvocation that it drove him to a crisis of faith which nearly drove him to an emotional breakdown. Guided by the writings of CardinalJohn Henry Newman, he reached a point in this struggle where he had a spiritual breakthrough.[3]
In November 1931, Griffiths went to stay at theBenedictinemonastery ofPrinknash Abbey where he was impressed by the life. Despite the strong anti-Roman Catholic sentiments of his mother, he was received into the Roman Catholic Church and made hisFirst Communion at Christmas EveMass at the abbey.
Griffiths was received by the abbey as apostulant a month after his reception into the Roman Catholic Church. On 29 December 1932, he entered thenovitiate and was given the monastic name of "Bede". He made his solemnprofession in 1937 (a year before the death of his mother in a car accident) and wasordained to theCatholic priesthood in 1940.
In 1947 the abbey sent a group of 25 monks to give support to two monasteries in the United Kingdom which had been founded by monks from France. Griffiths was chosen to be theobedientiary prior for the monastery atFarnborough in Hampshire. He led that house for four years, but was unable to generate sufficient financial support to keep the community going. The abbot then sent him to the other monastery,Pluscarden Abbey, in Scotland. It was there that he wrote his autobiography.[3]
During Griffiths' time at Farnborough, he had come to know Father Benedict Alapatt, a European-born monk of Indian descent who was greatly interested in establishing a monastery in his homeland. Griffiths had already been introduced to Eastern thought,yoga and theVedas and took interest in this proposed project. The abbot at first refused permission, but later changed his mind and authorised Griffiths to go to India with the Indian member of the community. There was one condition, though: Griffiths was not to be there as a member of the abbey, but as a priest subject to a local bishop, which meant that he would be giving up his vows.
After some painful inner debate, Griffiths agreed to this and, in 1955, he embarked for India with Alapatt. At the time, he wrote to a friend: "I am going to discover the other half of my soul."[citation needed] After arriving and visiting some spiritual centres in the country, they settled inKengeri inBangalore with the goal of building a monastery there. That project was eventually unsuccessful as Griffiths left the location in 1958, saying that he found it "too Western".[4]
Griffiths then joined with aBelgian monk, FatherFrancis Acharya,OCSO, to establishKristiya Sanyasa Samaj, Kurisumala Ashram ("Mountain of the Cross"), aSyriac Rite monastery of theSyro-Malankara Catholic Church in Kerala. They sought to develop a form of monastic life based in the Indian tradition, adopting thesaffron garments of an Indiansannyasi (anascetic or monk). At that point, Griffiths took theSanskrit name "Dayananda" ("bliss of compassion"). During that time he continued his studies in the religions and cultures of India, writingChrist in India while there. He also visited the United States during the period, giving a number of talks about East–West dialogue and being interviewed byCBS television.
Later, in 1968, Griffiths moved to theSaccidananda Ashram (also known asShantivanam;Tamil for "forest of peace") inTamil Nadu, South India,[5] which had been founded in 1950 by the French Benedictine monkAbhishiktananda (DomHenri Le Saux, OSB), from the Abbey of Kergonan, along with another Frenchman, theAbbéJules Monchanin. The two had developed a religious lifestyle which was completely expressed in authentic Indian fashion, using English, Sanskrit andTamil in their religious services. They had built the ashram buildings by hand in the style of the poor of the country. Monchanin had died in 1957 and Le Saux wanted to devote himself to ahermit's life. Griffiths came with two other monks to assume life there and to allow Le Saux his wish.
Griffiths resumed his studies of Indian thought, trying to relate it to Christian theology. At this point, he became known as "Swami Dayananda" ("bliss of compassion"). He wrote 12 books onHindu–Christian dialogue. During this period, Griffiths desired to reconnect himself with the Benedictine order and sought a monasticcongregation which would accept him in the way of life he had developed over the decades. He was welcomed by theCamaldolese monks, and he and the ashram became a part of their congregation.
Griffiths was a strictvegetarian who followed asattvic diet of fruit, vegetables and dairy products.[6]
In January 1990, Griffiths suffered a stroke in his room at the ashram. A month later, to the day, he was declared healed. The following year, he began a period of extensive travel, making annual visits to the United States, then later to Europe, where he met theDalai Lama. He noted to a friend, "I do believe that he liked me."[7] He continued his journey, giving lectures in Germany and England. He arrived back at the ashram in October 1992, where an Australian film crew were awaiting him to make a documentary about his life, which was released asA Human Search.
Three days after the completion of filming, on his 86th birthday, Griffiths had a major stroke. The following month, he had a further series of strokes. He died at Shantivanam on 13 May 1993, aged 86.
The archives of the Bede Griffiths Trust are located at theGraduate Theological Union inBerkeley, California. His contributions are promoted and developed by the Bede Griffiths Trust and by the Camaldolese Institute for East–West Dialogue based at the American Camaldolese hermitage ofNew Camaldoli, located inBig Sur, California.[8]
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