    bede griffiths osb camorder of st benedict website (17 december 1906 â 13 may 1993), born alan richard griffiths and also known by the end of his life as swami dayananda ("bliss of compassion"), was a british-born benedictine monk who lived in ashrams in south india and became a noted yogi. he became a leading thinker in the development of the dialogue between christianity and hinduism. griffiths was a part of the christian ashram movement. ==biography== ===early years=== griffiths was born at walton-on-thames, surrey, england, at the end of 1906, the youngest of three children of a middle-class family. shortly after that, his father was betrayed by his business partner and 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 to christ's hospital, a school for poor boys. the students of this school were nicknamed "bluecoats". he excelled in his studies and earned a scholarship to the university of oxford, where, in 1925, he began his studies in english literature and philosophy at magdalen college. in his third year at university he came under the tutelage of c. s. lewis, who became a lifelong friend. griffiths graduated from oxford in 1929 with a degree in journalism. shortly after graduation, griffiths and two friends settled in a cottage in the cotswold region and began what he called an "experiment in common living".{the golden string. 1954} 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 with the teachings of scripture with 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 seek holy orders in the church of england. he was advise
1906_births 1993_deaths Alumni_of_Magdalen_College,_Oxford Benedictine_mystics Benedictine_theologians C._S._Lewis Camaldolese_Order Converts_to_Roman_Catholicism English_Benedictines English_Christian_missionaries English_Roman_Catholic_priests English_Roman_Catholic_theologians English_expatriates_in_India English_religious_writers Hindu_mystics Hindu_theology Indian_Roman_Catholic_priests Indian_Roman_Catholic_theologians Indian_religious_writers Integral_thought People_educated_at_Christ\'s_Hospital People_from_Walton-on-Thames Roman_Catholic_writers Syro-Malankara_Catholic_Church