Maung Maung Gyi

U Maung Maung Gyi, M.A. (Cantab), was a Barrister-at-Law, retired diplomat, occultist and mystic, Buddhist Scholar, Founder-President of the London Buddhist Vihara Society, International lecturer on Buddhism, Eastern Philosophies and Buddhist Meditation.

Born in Rangoon (Burma) in 1900, he was chosen to be educated and trained under the guidance of Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbeater, occultist and clairvoyant, in India. He is a disciple of the Master Koot Hoomi, a highly evolved Spiritual Being, an Arahat in Buddhist terminology.

In politics, he worked for Burma’s Independence, and was associated with Gandhi and Nehru in the All India Congress Committee. He worked with Earl Attlee, Lord Pethick-Lawrence and Hugh Gaitskell for Socialist Fellowship between Britain and Asian Nations. Former Prime Minister U Nu, U Thant, Secretary-General of the United Nations and U Maung Maung Gyi were associated in promoting parliamentary democracy in Burma.

From 1968 to 1971 he was deeply involved with the mystical centre "Gandalf's Garden" in London, both as a speaker and trustee and close friend of its founder Muz Murray.

According to his wife, he died an untimely death as a result of adverse reaction to an inept treatment of acupuncture.^{[citation needed]}