Acknowledgments. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my
husband, Khôi Nguyễn, and my daughters Julia Nguyễn and Danielle Nguyễn for
their continuous love and support.
Without such support, I could not perform at my highest level.
I also thank Hiền Tài Dũ Ngọc Nguyễn, The CEO
of Lay Dignitaries Caodai International (Tổng Quản Nhiệm Ban Thế Đạo), for
being my mentor,
my supporter, and my advisor; and for guiding me along all the
steps of the way toward the completion of this book. And also for the building of my team, the Ban
Thế Đạo’s Research and Development team.
I would like to thank the members of my team:
my friend, Vinh Kim Thế Nguyễn; my brother, John Trịnh; and my Caodai fellow
friend, Chương Minh Quách, for their consistent support and hard work in the
matter of research, review, and feedback to make this document a success.
I thank my team of editors, my husband Khôi
Nguyễn, Bachelor Degrees in Computer Science and Management Information
Systems, my beautiful and talented teenager daughter, Julia Nguyễn, author of
many story books, my talented nephew, Michael Trịnh, UH student, my friends:
Matthew Adams, Harvard MBA, and Michelle Tiên Đào, Eastern Herbal Physician,
for thoroughly reviewing and editing this brochure so that it can achieve the
highest possible standard.
I thank my friends for their support and
helpful suggestions in the ideas and design, especially this document’s art
work: Tú Phạm.
And last but not least, I thank Hiền Tài, Thêm
Văn Lê and Hiền Tài, Hùm Đắc Bùi (M.D.) for being my advisors and certifiers of
this book in accordance with the Caodai philosophy and religious constitution
to the best of their knowledge. I thank my father, Hiền Tài, Thế Quốc Trịnh, and my mother, Hiền Tài, Nương Ngọc Nguyễn,
for being my advisors for Caodai’s concepts and philosophy.
Disclaimer:
The Truth has no limits in one’s mind; the author has researched and
developed this booklet about the Caodai Faith to the best of her knowledge in
the present time based on her limited wisdom restricted in human form.
Nam Mô Cao Đài Tiên Ông
Đại Bồ Tát Ma Ha Tát,
Túy Ngọc Trịnh
Jun 2014
Introduction
Although not a Caodaist myself, I have spent
decades studying this religion and as part of that work I have read many
introductions to the faith written by the faithful. I can say with authority
then that Mrs. Túy Ngọc Trịnh has written the best of the short introductions
in English. If you want a brief glimpse into why you should treat the Caodaist
religion with the dignity and respect it deserves, (and perhaps even join it in
its aims) then this small book will start you on the way. Here Mrs. Túy
carefully explains the basics of the religion but she does more, she also gives
some powerful reasons here for why the world needs Caodaism. Reading these
pages once more reminded me that I was right to dedicate so much of my academic
life to working with and understanding Caodaists and their faith, for in these
pages lays the promise of a non-sexist, non-racist world, the hope for
universal tolerance, democracy, world peace, justice for all and love towards
all. I am not sure any earthly organization can pull this off, but how
delightful it is that I get to work on a daily basis with people who believe
that they need to try for these high ideals!
One thing that Mrs. Túy and other Caodaists are
loathing to do is it mixes the discussion of religion and politics. Whereas I
have no problem, the unspoken subtext of this small book is that overseas
Caodaists are doing so much to spread news of their faith because Caodaists in
Vietnam do not have the religious freedoms Westerners take for granted. Thus I
often wonder that if the religion worked as the way the religious constitution
of Caodaism demands that it work, without government interference in Vietnam,
then the ideals of Caodaism might be even better understood around the world.
At least with this small book that process of understanding and communication
can continue.
Although I
work at the University of Sydney in Australia, I am presently on a study tour
of Ethiopia as I write this. Africa is one powerful example of what problems
the future will hold. As the earth moves towards a population of 11 or 12
billion by the end of this century, 2 billion new humans will need to find
themselves a home on this continent. Resources will be scarce, and perhaps
tolerance and good will towards our fellow humans will also be in short supply.
A religion such as Caodaism can ensure that we check our nastier sides, that
the beastly attitudes inside us can be controlled by our humanity. That
Caodaism as a religion and Caodaists as a community of faithful are doing their
best to remind us of the duties and the joys of being humane to each other, I
hope this little book permits you to find a place for Caodaism in your heart.
I offer my
congratulations to Mrs. Túy Ngọc Trịnh and her companions and co-religionists
for producing this clear and approachable guide to their religion.
Nam-mô Cao-Ðài,
Christopher Hartney
1 . Introduction to Caodaism
The history of mankind
will never stop its evolution of radical movements that makes us who we are
today in the 21st century. In 1926, one of these radical evolutions was born in
a religious form in the province of Tây Ninh Vietnam
Caodaism was established through a spiritual
technique that encompassed Western spiritism-séance and Eastern
Taoist-Shamanistic tradition. Through this method of communication between God
and other High Spirits and individuals, the Supreme Being created
Caodaism. Since its establishment, The
Caodai Religion has manifested in Vietnam Asia , Europe , North
America , and Australia
" The noble effort of CaoDaism is to unite humanity through a common
vision of the Supreme Being in order to promote peace and understanding of
religions throughout the world. CaoDaism does not seek to create a gray world,
where all religions are exactly the same; only to create a more tolerant world,
where all can see each other as sisters and brothers from a common divine
source reaching out to a common divine destiny realizing peace within and without."
The term Caodai means "The Highest Spiritual Place Kingdom of Heaven Center of The Universe
1 . 1 What is the Basic Doctrine of Caodaism?
Many philosophers who
have completed extensive research and study in the areas of religions have
discovered in Caodaism a spiritual beauty, a philosophical truth, and a community
of the religious who teaches Man the ultimate Science of Truth.
The basic doctrine of The Caodai Religion is
that the Supreme Being was from One Divine Light (Thái Cực), the only One Being
who existed before the existence of the universe when there was nothing and no
space nor time (cỏi hư vô). The
Divine Light was extremely dense in energy and was the origin of the universe.
The Divine Light, referred to as The Monad, then formed Yin and Yang energy,
the first form of protons and electrons, which interacted and created billions
of other forms of energy, expanding, exploding, and signifying the beginning of
the universe from the nothingness to where we are today in the galaxies…and it
continues to expand . God created the universe, the people, the animals, and
everything in this universe, material and spiritual beings. (Dựa theo thuyết "Thái Cực sanh Lưỡng Nghi, Lưỡng Nghi
sanh Tứ Tượng, Tứ Tượng sanh Bát Quái,
Bát Quái sanh ra càn khôn vũ trụ" [TNHT])
Thus, Caodai
suggests that “Man and God are linked through sacred light. The Supreme Being
is the Great Sacred Light while human being is a Little Sacred Light. According
to Caodai Holy Scripture, God created the universe and passed His spirit (this
Sacred Light) into all creatures, plants, and materials, which therefore all
have the same element of electrons and protons (or Yin and Yang energies).
Everything in the universe comes from His spirit and therefore has a life. Whenever there is life, there is God. God is
the creator of life. God exists in each living being in the universe (Thầy là
các con. Các con là Thầy)
Love is
eternal sacred light, the brighter this light is the stronger the connection is
between you and God!
The ultimate
goal of Caodai philosophies is true spiritual enlightenment and liberty for all
through the most important concept "You and God are One!"
Caodai
defines only ONE RACE (the Human Race) for mankind regardless of human-defined
race, color, language, and sex. Every person on the earth has the same common
Father God and everybody is brothers-and-sisters to each other, figuratively
speaking. This includes every living being on the globe.
The most
important manuscript of Caodai Religion is The Religious Constitution of
Caodaism, which includes the Doctrine of New Code and the Religious
Constitution (Tân Luật - Pháp Chánh Truyền) and The Divine Messages (Thánh Ngôn
Hiệp Tuyển).
Caodaism
upholds the concept of democracy, the respect for human rights, the respect for
freedom rights, and the respect for equal rights that lead way to peace and
harmony, freedom and liberty for all, through the declaration of Caodai’s
doctrine, written in Vietnamese:
"
CAO THƯỢNG CHÍ TÔN ĐẠI ĐẠO HOÀ BÌNH DÂN CHỦ MỤC "
"
ĐÀI TIỀN SÙNG BÁI TAM KỲ CỘNG HƯỞNG TỰ DO QUYỀN "
Which can roughly be translated as:
"THE GREAT WAY
"THE THIRD AMNESTY ERA -
FREEDOM AND LIBERTY
1 . 2 What is the Essence of Belief in Caodaism?
The fundamental belief of The Caodai Religion is
simply that people must treat each other with respect and equality, regardless
of race or religion; that people do have one common Father, our God, The Supreme
Being. In a globalized community, human
beings need to promote global tolerance in cultural, political, social, and
religious affairs.
Caodai
promotes the common universal language, the Language of Love.
From a worship point of view, Caodai transmits the
Virtues of God, and explains the massive connected structure that links
everything in the perceptual world to the centre of energy of the universe that
is God. Caodai recommends the adoration
of all other religious figures and symbols, and the veneration of Superior
Spirits and the worship of ancestors.
Caodai implies that all religions are from the same origin of God
Himself.
From a moral point of view, the Caodai doctrine
teaches that Man should have love and duties toward himself, his family,
country, society, and in a broader essence, toward humanity and all living
beings on Earth as a whole, thus promoting peace and tolerance.
From a
philosophical point of view, Caodai preaches the concept of self-renunciation
of excessive pride, excessive riches, excessive luxury, or excessive earthly
pleasures, and endorses liberation from servitude and from materialism in the
attainment of the spiritual tranquility of the soul. Personal honor, riches,
luxury, and an excess of earthly pleasures must not dominate a culture. That does not mean
Caodai would advocate a primitive or impoverished economy devoid of luxury and
splendor, but caution that when earthly pleasures rule, men make abundant use
of materials goods as means to make life in society dignified, upright, and
agreeable to body and soul. This can
easily lead to human beings being thrust into conflict and wars. When human
beings can liberate themselves from servitude to materialism, and focus on
spiritual attainment of tranquility of the soul, human beings will be less
subjected to conflicts of interest and more deeply focused to peace and
harmony.
From a
spiritual point of view, Caodai confirms, in harmony with other religions, the
existence of the spirit and the soul, their survival beyond the physical body,
and their evolution through successive reincarnations, which is in accordance
to the Karmic Law.
From the initiation point of view, Caodai calls for
the synchronization of and acceptance of all religions. It authenticates the existence of the soul
and the connection between Man and God.
Caodai explains that each religion in this world is a “religious school
created by God” that teaches mankind about life, about God’s Virtue, and about
the Sciences of Truth. Caodaism validates that the ultimate purpose of each
”religious school” is to guide Man in cultivating Love, Wisdom, and Inner
Strength, to believe in God, to believe in humanity, and to believe in
Himself.
1 . 3 What is the
concept "Đại Đạo Tam Kỳ Phổ Độ"
"Đại Đạo Tam Kỳ Phổ Độ" is the official
name of the new religion. That is The Great Way for Salvation in the Third
Revelation Period. "Đại Đạo Tam Kỳ
Phổ Độ” can thus be translated as “The Great Way of The Third Amnesty Era”.
Caodai
divides the world’s five thousand years’ worth of religious histories into 3
revelation periods based on the development of mankind and the Earth itself.
First revelation period: [before 2500 BCE] During the development of
the Universe, Earth, and life, Mankind was still under-developed. God revealed Himself to inspire selected
religious leaders in different parts of the world to teach humans different
ways to survive and develop. He selected
religious leaders (prophets/founders) for each religion: Abraham was the
founder of Judaism in Middle East, Dipankara was for Hinduism in India, and
Fu-His was for Yi King in China.
Second revelation period: [thousands of years
later] When humans established the earliest forms of society, culture, and
nationalism, God created Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, and
more… to bring chaos to order, to teach human different concepts of humanity,
societies, and different Sciences of Truth.
Third revelation period [third amnesty period]: in
the 20th century and thereafter, when humans started to recognize the concept
of democracy, globalization, worldwide communication, and shared knowledge, God
started a new religion and called for religious unification and
acceptance. In our modern days, however,
people did not always live in peace and harmony because of the very
multiplicity of religions. The Caodai Religion was announced with the purpose
of solving religious conflicts and bringing all religions to their primordial
unity. With that purpose, The Caodai Religion emphasizes that all religions are
from the same origin: The Supreme Being. Caodai highlights that all religions
teach humans the very basic need of love and justice. Caodai stresses that
different religions are just different forms of the same truth. Caodai teaches humans to believe in God, believe
in humanity, and believe in self, and the key to strengthen that belief is to
build up Love, Wisdom, and Inner Strength.
1 . 4 What are Primary
Philosophies of Caodai Religion?
Caodai suggests that God is in you; the power of
God is in you, small or large, depending on what you have learned and how you
have developed that power, which is the power of Love, the power of Knowledge,
and the power of the Inner Strength. These powers are the GIFTS from GOD to Man
to make Man distinguished from animals and other living beings. These powers also exist to help Man overcome
his inner evils, the seven-deadly-sins, and use that liberated power in order
to advance himself into the higher level of philosophical and spiritual
enlightenment.
In terms of practices of spirituality, Caodai
teaches you to delve into your inner being, your higher self, your spirit, and
to cultivate your Sacred Inner Light to unveil the "God within". It is a
journey of inner self-discovery. Your
sacred mission is to unite the "God within" with the Great Divine Being.
When one can see the "God within"; one can also see
the “inner God” in others: humans, animals, and other beings. With this
understanding, one will gain incredible respects for life and nurture
kind-heartedness for others.
Caodai declares Love is the master key that opens
the doors to heaven on earth.
Caodai suggests that God is not bound with any
ethnic backgrounds or skin colors. God
represents the eye of all living beings, while the Prophets from other
Religions of the world are bound to human forms of who have certain ethnic
background and cultures. On the other hand, Caodai suggests all Gods from all
religions in the world are from the same Supreme Being, and that the same
Supreme Being exists in every living being more than human beings can perceive
in its existence.
Caodai, in simple terms, is that God exists in all
living beings…, and that is why God is extremely powerful. He is full of love
to give; possesses so much knowledge about each person and about each living
thing in this world; has so much concern for the development of each
individual’s livelihood; has so much control of the development of the entire
universe, because the progression and advancement of each living being in this
universe is the progression of God Himself.
1 . 5 Is Caodaism
Biblical Monotheism or Inclusive Monotheism?
Caodaism is a syncretic religion (that is, forming
a spiritual and universal synthesis) in a context that Caodaism recognizes and
respects the Sciences of Truth, the traditions, the philosophies of all great
religions from ancient history. Hence, as a syncretic religion, the origins of
Caodaism span the centuries. Its roots lie in the deepest beliefs and
aspirations of all great religions, thus encompassing a religious heritage as
old and as varied as Man himself.
On the other hand, Caodaism is a new religion, one
that has the uniqueness of inclusive monotheism in the perspective that it
emphasizes the GODs from all other religions are from one source, The All That
Is – the Supreme Being. Caodaism offers
the origin of God in a universal way, recognizes the similarity of many world
belief systems, from Far East to Far West, and explains the massive connected
structure that links mankind and all living beings to God.
1 . 6 What is the
significance of the term “Tam Giáo Qui Nguyên - Ngũ Chi Hiệp Nhất”?
Caodai suggests that different religious belief
systems simply represent the Science of Truth as seen from different
perspectives, forms, structures, organizations, timeframes, and cultures of
civilization. But all great religions are from one origin, The Supreme Being.
The Caodai Religion introduces the concept of the
oneness humanity, equality of all men and women, the abolition of prejudice,
the harmony of science and religion, the synchronization of all great
religions, and the practices of Love and Justice without prejudice of religious
background, that lead life to peace and harmony.
The Caodai Religion adores the three Asian
religious traditions of Buddhism / Hinduism, Taoism, and Confucianism "Tam
Giáo Qui Nguyên" and the religious
philosophies of other great Western religions: Christianity, Islam, and
Judaism. Caodai accumulates those
“different” religious principles together under one roof "Ngũ
Chi Hiệp Nhất." On the adoration of those principles, Caodai
doctrines teach the way of Buddha, the way of the immortals, the way of saints,
the way of the High Spirits, and the way of humanity. The ultimate goal of Caodaism is to bring different
religions back to the primordial unity, eliminate prejudice toward different
religious schools, and promulgate the oneness concept of all.
From the principles of Confucianism, Caodai teaches
the Doctrine of Humanity, which teaches Man three main duties (Tam Cang): the
duty to his country (Quân Thần Cang), the duty to his parents (Phụ Tử Cang),
and the duty to his spouse and his own family (Phu Thê Cang); and educates Man
the five essential virtues: love/humanity (Nhân), integrity (Nghĩa), behavior
(Lễ), knowledge (Trí), and loyalty (Tín).
From the principles of Christianity, Islam, and
Judaism, Caodai teaches the Doctrine of Saints with regards to love, tolerance,
forgiveness, and truthfulness.
From the principles of Taoism, Caodai teaches the
Doctrine of Tao with regards to the three stages in human spirit and body (Tam
Bửu): energy of physical body (Tinh), energy of spiritual mind (Khí), energy of
transcendent soul (Thần) plus the 5 essential elements of material world (Ngủ
Hành): mineral, plant, water, fire, and earth, and the Law of Yin and Yang
(Luật Âm Dương).
From the principles of Buddhism and Hinduism,
Caodai teaches the Doctrine of Liberation, which instructs Man to seek refuge
in Buddha (Qui Y Phật), in Dharma (Qui Y Pháp), and in Shangha (Qui Y Tăng).
Caodai upholds a system of basic morality, the five Prohibitions (Ngũ Giới
Cấm): do not kill thus respect life (cấm sát sanh), do not steal thus respect
what belong to others (cấm trộm cắp), do not commit sexual misconduct (cấm
ngoạit tình - tà dâm), do not be intoxicated (cấm say rượu), and do not commit
sins through words (cấm vọng ngữ). [Ref 1 & 2]
"The Lord lives in the
heart of every creature. He turns them round and round upon the wheel of
Maya. Take refuge in Him. By his grace
you will find supreme peace, and the state which is beyond all change." [Hinduism]
" A Muslim is one who
surrenders to the will of Allah and is an establishing of peace." [Islam]
" The whole of the Torah is
for the purpose of promoting peace." [Judaism]
" Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." [Christianity]
" Peace comes from
within. Do not seek it without." [Buddhism]
" Kindness in words creates
confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love." [Taoism]
" Everything has its beauty
but not everyone sees it." [Confucianism]
" Love is the safe haven for
the entire universe!" [Caodaism]
2 . Caodaism: Its History and Development
2 . 1 What were the Vietnamese Cultural and Historical Setting during the
Establishment of Caodai Religion in early 20th Century?
The history of Caodai Religion has been tied with
the history of Vietnam since early 20th century. As for Vietnam, four thousand
years of history is a four-thousand-year history of wars. The Vietnamese
culture reflects the effects of wars on the people, the effects of colonial
rules on the nation, and the effects of the foreign
cultures/religions/philosophies into the Vietnamese education systems,
religions, and philosophies.
For a thousand years, Vietnam was under Chinese
occupation, thus Vietnamese Cultures have been significantly influenced by
China, especially the famous Confucian philosophy written by Master Kong (Nho
Giáo/Khổng Giáo). During that time, Buddhism also extended her wings over
Vietnam, and thereafter, Taoism also enjoyed her stretch into Vietnamese
culture. Surprisingly, Confucianism,
Buddhism, Taoism, and other original Vietnamese indigenous religious practices
did not pose challenges to each other and were rather welcomed and fitted well
into the culture of Vietnam.
By the end of 19th Century, after three decades of
war, Vietnam was completely conquered by French colonial forces and by 1906 the
new alphabet similar to the romance language was introduced into Vietnam "Chữ
Quốc Ngữ" by the French
missionaries. The French divided Vietnam
into three separated states: CochiChina (South Vietnam) as a colony; Annam
(Central Vietnam) as an autonomous kingdom under the Nguyễn dynasty; and Tonkin
(North Vietnam) as a French protectorate. Thus in the early 20th century,
Vietnam became increasingly influenced by the West: the character set of the Vietnamese
language " Chữ Quốc Ngữ " became the national language and Vietnamese people became familiar with
Christianity’s concepts and religions.
The people of Vietnam, surrounded by diversified
religions and western influences, and having endured the sufferings of war
under her thousand-year history, complete with a vase corpus of historic heroes
and myths, adapted surprisingly well to the new concepts and philosophies of
the new religion “Caodai”, as a faith that affects a union and summation of
five thousand years of religious development from the East with the potent
religious influences from the West. The Caodai Religion recognizes the
greatness of all major religions around the world and at the same time
introduces the concept of one Supreme Being representing the God of all great
religions. With that idea, Caodai offers a resolution for the conflicts of
religious differences, and proposes religious globalization for the 21st
Century.
2 . 2 Why was
The Caodai Religion born in Vietnam? What are its Historical Milestones?
After centuries of conflict, the Vietnamese people
understand the effects of wars on human condition and the sufferings endured
during wars. They want Peace more than
anything else in the world. They understand and appreciate the value of Peace.
They would adapt easily to everything that offers Peace, Happiness, and Love to
our planet. That was probably why Vietnam was chosen to be one of the places for God to
create His Third Amnesty of Universal Salvation to humankind, and The Caodai
Religion will spread its wings to the West at the end of the 20th century and
the beginning of 21st century. The
Caodai Religion was founded in 1926. The
Caodai Temple Holy See was constructed from 1931, was completed in 1947, and
was inaugurated in 1955, and started to set its first steps into the Western
countries from 1975.
In 1975, after the end of the war in Vietnam, the
communists took control of the Vietnamese government. Often under extreme conditions, thousands of
Caodai followers emigrated to America, Europe, Australia, Canada, France, and
others, to begin the new era of Caodai Religion in the Western world.
2 . 3 Who established Caodai Religion?
Caodai history records three historical figures
that aided Caodai’s manifestion into the Earthly world: Ngô Minh Chiêu born in
1878, Phạm Công Tắc, born in 1890, Lê Văn Trung, born in 1876. All three came
from very different backgrounds, were highly educated, and all three were
communicating with the Supreme Beings through the spiritual medium at different
times and places in Vietnam. The three found each other, cooperated and
arranged meetings, and followed orders of highly authoritative messages from
the Supreme Being through a spiritual medium by a holy spiritual name "Cao
Đài Tiên Ông Đai Bồ Tát Ma Ha Tát". Under the
Supreme Being’s guidance, Ngô Minh Chiêu, Phạm Công Tắc, Lê Văn Trung, and
others such as Cao Quỳnh Cư, Cao Hoài
Sang, Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ, and Lâm Ngọc Thanh, etc. worked together to establish
the new religion of ‘Đại Đạo Tam Kỳ Phổ Độ”.
3 . Caodaism’s Social Influences.
3 . 1 What
Benefits does the Caodai Religion have to Offer to Individuals who want to
Learn about the TRUTH (about GOD)?
Despite the fact that Caodaism draws on the wisdom
of thousands of years, Caodaism is a 20th-century religion. It has isolated
fundamental laws of life that can be applied to help people achieve a happier
and better spiritual existence not only in the past, but also in the present,
and the future. Therefore Caodaism is tremendously beneficial for people of all
walks of life and ages.
Caodaism answers the most ancient questions about "Who
are we? What do we consist of? Where do we come from? Where are we going? What
are we doing?"
Caodaism not only provides answers to these
questions but also supplies workable methods of application that make it
possible for Man to reach the ancient goal he has been striving toward for
thousands of years: to know himself and in knowing himself, to know and
understand other people, and ultimately, understand life itself, understand the
universe, and understand God.
Your mind cannot possibly understand God, however,
your "inner God" knows God. The role of spiritualism in The Caodai
Religion is very simple. It provides human beings with a spiritual
inspirational passage; the passage of self-discovery that awakes the “God
within”. Man needs to be aware that God
is within himself, that the inner spirit in Him is linked to GOD. Man needs to be aware that the development of
the inner spirit is the path toward the incredible spiritual journey of
self-discovery…the journey in which Man shall make the world around him a
better place to live, for him and for all future generations.
The progress of discovering the inner God shall
give Man inner peace even if the whole world around him seems in chaos. The
development of that inner peace is the development of Man’s capacity for Love,
Wisdom, and Courage.
" When your life is filled
with the desire to see the holiness in everyday life, something magical happens:
ordinary life becomes extraordinary, and the very process of life begins to
nourish your soul! " [Rabbi Harold
Kushner]
3 . 2 What are the Influences of The
Caodai Religion for Creating a New Order for life?
The Caodai Religion upholds the Law of Balance
(Luật Cân Bằng), the Law of Justice (Luật Công Bằng), the Law of Love (Luật Yêu
Thương), the Law of Cause and Effect (Luật Nhân Quả), and the Law of Yin and
Yang (Luật Âm Dương). These laws serve the purpose of life itself, the Law of
Development and Evolution (Luật Tiến Hóa), for each living being and for the
universe as a whole. Everything that happens in this world should serve this
purpose.
From the Law of Balance (Luật Cân Bằng), Caodai
teaches Man to live life in balance, and explains how the universe sustains an
astonishing harmony and balance.
From the Law of Justice (Luật Công Bằng), Caodai
teaches Man the equality, the accountabilities, the responsibilities, and the
consequences of his actions not only in this life but also from his previous
lives of revolution in the reincarnation cycle.
From the Law of Love (Luật Yêu Thương), Caodai
teaches man to love others and to love himself. Caodai declares that Love is
the key to opening the gates of heaven and enlightenment.
From the Law of Cause and Effect (Luật Nhân Quả),
Caodai teaches Man to carry out good deeds because good deeds bring good
results and bad deeds bring bad consequences.
From the Law of Yin and Yang (Luật Âm Dương),
Caodai teaches Man the concept of the balance of power based on complementary
opposites. The negative pole is equated with the positive pole. One pole could
not exist without the other, just as it is impossible for a molecule to form
without a proton (+) or an electron (-); it is impossible for men to form a
child without women; and it is impossible for women to form a child without
men. The positive and negative can never exist in total isolation from one
another; both are constantly interacting and this inseparable tandem persist
through all things: Man, food, attitudes, personal characteristics, thoughts,
etc. Yin and Yang are the two opposite
forces of energy that are needed for the development of all things in the
universe.
As for Man, Caodai suggests that Yang represents
the inner goodness that stands for Love, Wisdom, and Courage while Yin stands
for inner evil also known as the seven deadly sins. The inner goodness and evilness in Man are
always in constant battle against one another to either push him upwards to the
enlightenment stage or pull him downwards to darkness and unrighteousness. Man goes through life facing many challenges;
God gives Man the Gift of Love, Wisdom, and Courage, but also gives man much
needed challenges, the stronger the challenge the stronger the man will be if
he can conquer it.
The Law of Development and Evolution (Luật Tiến
Hóa) is the law of enhancement and progress for all things in the universe. All
laws (natural laws, human laws, and religious laws) serve one purpose: The
Development and Evolution of the universe!
3 . 3 What Benefits are offered by
The Caodai Religion in providing Global Religious Development for Human Welfare
in matters of Religious Beliefs?
Caodai philosophies and theories have been
contributing to global religious development…
In the thousand years’ history of mankind,
religious wars have become the norm.
Conflicts created by humans because of religious differences go back
even before the birth of Jesus Christ. Until World War II, with the
introduction of Nuclear War and the results of Holocaust, in these darkest days
of human history, modern humans began to understand the lesson of Love and
Acceptance. Modern humans began to
realize that HATRED can lead to the destruction of mankind and thus people MUST
accept each other’s differences, races, skin colors and people MUST nurture
Love instead of Hatred. Thus the
acceptance of each other’s differences and the Love for people is no longer a "Should" but it is a "Must" in order to survive. Caodaism promotes that
concept and promotes the concepts of religious unification and religious
acceptances. The Caodai Religion broadens the concept of respect for different
religions, and upholds the perception of oneness to all great religions in the
world.
When people see there is no difference in God but
only difference in other religions, there will be fewer conflicts; people will
gain respect for each other’s religions and belief systems. When people see there is no difference in
term of the origin between the core Western religious belief systems and the
core Eastern religious belief systems, there will be more support and
understanding between the East and the West. The Caodai Religion will create
harmony for different schools of beliefs by introducing a startlingly new
theory and concept; there was only one God; and the same God revealed himself
as Jesus Christ, Mohammed, and Moses from the West, and as Sakya Muni, Lao-Tzu,
Nhiên Đăng Cổ Phật, Thái Thượng Lão Quân, Khương Thái Công from the
East… And the same God is in the Divine Eye of The Caodai Religion, a religion,
which is from a country that has endured war for more than four thousand years,
a country where people can easily understand the term "Desperation
for Peace ", and a country
where " multiple religious belief systems from far East to far
West can coexist " in peace through
war-time.
This new concept reveals to humans the fundamental
truth and answers most of the questions Man has been asking himself since time
immemorial. That is why all religions,
at their heart, teach LOVE and ACCEPTANCE.
From the perspective of humanity, The Caodai
Religion teaches you to love your family, your friends, the people in your
community, and the people in your country.
Additionally, Caodai teaches you the love for mankind, the love for the
people who endorse you, love for the people who hate you, love for the people
who are different from you, love for your enemies, and the acceptance of the
differences and similarities of each different individual.
From the perspective of existence, Caodai teaches
you to love all animals and develop respect for the life of all living beings
in this world.
Caodai announces that Love is the safe haven for
the entire universe!
3 . 4 What
Contributions has The Caodai Religion made to the Development of Religious
Beliefs and the Global Spiritual Connection in the 21st century and thereafter?
The Caodai theory of primordial unity introduces
the concept of the Supreme Being as a force that always exists within each
person (Thuyết Thiên Nhơn Hiệp Nhất). In
broader terms; God exists in any form of body as small as a molecule of any
substance that forms the body. God is the creator of everything and at the same
time, God exists in everything (Dựa theo thuyết Thiên Địa Vạn Vật Đồng Nhất Thể
hay là Nhất Bổn Tán Vạn Thù và Vạn Thù Qui Nhất Bổn).
Because GOD exists everywhere in any form and in
anything living in the physical and spiritual world, everything links to GOD
through a massive interconnected divine network where the cause and effect of
everyone’s doings will ultimately lead to a balanced state.
When this theory becomes widespread, the people of
the 21st century will understand it effortlessly and may apply it to comprehend
their daily spiritual practices and physical activities.
Only the people of the 21st century can understand
the concept of this divine network through the understanding of the internet or
the global satellite network, which are elementary examples of how this massive
divine network functions. That is
probably why The Caodai Religion was born in the 20th century and proudly
making her first international steps into the 21st century.
In this divine network, at some point in time, in
certain areas, there can be and imbalance, but the imbalance of one place will
force an offsetting of balance in another place; thus as a whole, this network
is always seeking balance. The out-of-balance area can always regain its
connected powers and therefore the massive interconnected network to God is
perfect. The stronger the bond of this massive network, the better the universe
will be. Only the practices of love and compassion, respect and democracy from
mankind will bring peace and harmony to all living beings, which will
strengthen this interconnected structure that is controlled and supported by
the central energy of the universe, our God.
4 . Divine Symbols in Caodai Temple
- Tay Ninh Holy See
The Caodai Holy See is vast sacred city that was
built in Tây Ninh Vietnam. In the central of this city is the Great Divine
Temple. Its architecture, symbols and
construction were directed by God through spiritual mediums, and it has become
a beautiful national landmark for Vietnam. Currently, there are many smaller
versions of this Caodai Temple with similar architecture and design being built
in the many towns of Vietnam and in cities in Texas, California, Louisiana,
Australia, Canada, etc. These Caodai Temples, once completed, will typically
become landmarks for the respective city/town in which they reside because of
their unique characteristics of housing thousands of different spiritual
religions under the one roof.
4 . 1 What is the Philosophy behind
the Symbol of “The Divine Eye” (Biểu Tượng Thiên Nhãn”?
The Divine Eye with
beams of light radiating from it is the iconic symbol of God’s wisdom. It represents the ultimate truth at center of
the universe, the enlightened mind in each individual, the inner God that
exists in the mind and the heart of each living organism. God also exists even in the smallest nucleus
proton of a molecule, which is the foundation that makes up of every physical
form of life.
4 . 2 The Symbol of Celestial Sphere (Biểu Tượng Quả Càn Khôn)
The Universal Globe that has the Divine Eye on the
Celestial Sphere has a perfect spherical shape, with a diameter of three
meters, three decimeters, and three centimeters representing God’s
chamber. The Globe Sphere has the constellation
of the Big Dipper and the 3072 stars representing Caodai’s cosmology of 36
heavens, 3000 worlds, 4 Great Cosmic Regions, and 72 planets.
Symbol of Celestial Sphere
4 . 3 What does “The Image of
Caodai’s Three Saints” (Biểu Tượng Tam Thánh) imply?
Victor Hugo, Sun Yat Sen, and Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm are
the three Saints that are spiritual representatives for Caodai Religion.
Victor Hugo - the most famous figure ever to have
lived in France. He is also a Great Poet, a political celebrity, and had a
great influence in French literature history.
Victor Hugo is a symbol of Western cultures and beliefs.
Sun Yat Sen - a revolutionary and political Leader,
the founder of modern China. He
established the first ever Chinese democratic government. He is a great symbol
of Eastern values.
Trạng Trình aka Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm - a great Writer and
Poet, a physiognomist, and the most famous prophet from Vietnam. He is symbol
of Vietnamese Principles.
Victor Hugo, Sun Yat
Sen, and Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm are the three Saints of Caodai. They declare the treaty
between GOD and HUMANITY symbolizing a visible connection between human beings
and the Supreme Being. The treaty delineates the two basic principles LOVE and
JUSTICE that humanity has to fulfill in order to be saved and to become one
with GOD. The Three-Saints are a symbol that also characterizes the bridges
between Eastern and Western philosophies.
Image of Caodai’s Three
Saints
4 . 4 What is the Meaning of the Statue of Maitreya on
the Tiger (Tượng Phật Di
Lac cỡi cọp) ?
The image Maitreya Buddha riding the tiger
signifies the unforgettable anniversary that Caodai Religion was born in the
year of the Tiger (1926).
This symbol also implies another spiritual
philosophy. According to the Caodai Doctrine, Man is born with a special gift
from God that gives him the protection from Seven Deadly Sins from himself and
from others.
The image of Maitreya (Đức Phật Di Lạc) wearing
armor implies a distinguished individual who has reached the stage of
enlightenment, a figure that is, who has reached the highest levels of
happiness and can offer the highest love to all living beings. The armor that
he is wearing represents the gift from God, which is His capability of Love,
Wisdom, and Courage.
The tiger implies the power of inner Evil (the
Seven Deadly Sins) that exists in each person. The image implies that Maitreya
is using His Love, Wisdom, and the Inner Power to conquer his own inner evil
desires and also neutralize others’ inner evil desires to prevent them from
harming Him.
The image also suggests that He observes the level
of Love, Wisdom, and Courage of each person who enters the Caodai temple to
attend the ritual services, and most importantly, He has the responsibility of
presiding Convention of The Judgment Day (Hội Long Hoa).
Statue of Maitreya riding
the Tiger
4 . 5 What are The Meanings of the
Iconic Dragon Columns (Biểu Tượng Cột rồng)?
Spiritually, the twenty-eight dragon columns that
line the nave of the Divide Temples symbolize the Immortals, the High Spirits,
the Saints, and the Buddha in attending the spiritual congregation with God.
From the perspective of construction, only columns that have
enough strength can be used to build the House of God, thus dragon columns are
essential in building a Caodai Temple because they symbolize power, prestige
and strength.
From the perspective of religious cosmology, the
Caodai temple symbolizes the universe, and the dragon columns symbolize the
powerful core functions that will keep the universe in balance. Caodai’s cosmology addresses questions about
the universe which are beyond the scope of science.
Dragon Columns
4 . 6 What Messages are Conveyed The
Symbols of “Brahma Buddha (Thể Phật Brahma), Shiva Buddha (Thể Phật Shiva), and
Krishna Buddha (Thể Phật Krisna)”?
The Holy Embellishment of Brahma Buddha, Shiva
Buddha, and Krishna Buddha on the roof of Caodai Temple, symbolizes the “Three
Life Cycles of Progress”. Each Buddha symbol characterizes an important natural
function of Life.
Brahma Buddha (West-facing) - symbolizes The First
Cycle, the Cycle of Creation – this is when something is born (Tượng Trưng cho
Tạo Hoá). It is also called the Cycle of Innocence (Chu Kỳ Thánh Đức).
Shiva Buddha (North-facing) – symbolizes The Second
Cycle, the Cycle of Struggle and Destruction – this is when something has
matured and will inevitably die (Tượng Trưng cho sự trưởng thành, già nua, và
diệt vong).
Krishna Buddha (South-facing) – symbolizes The
Third Cycle, the Cycle of Conservation (Bảo tồn) and Reproduction (Tái tạo) -
(The Stage of Krishna Buddha) - this refers to something that reborn in
different form(s), also known as reincarnation. All Cycles are applicable to
all things in all forms that exist in this universe.
Brahma-Shiva-Krishna (Three Stages of
Buddha)
4 . 7 Why are Divine Symbols from
Other Religions Engraved in Caodai Temple?
Caodai believes in the concept of "Unity
of Gods". Caodai implies that all iconic symbols of
Gods in different religions that were created in different times and at
different places in different cultures are from the same source The All That
Is. At the Caodai Temple, the central canopy over the Alta area is a
celebration of many of the great religious influences on Caodai.
Across the top from left to right is the God of
three main religions of Asia (Tam Giáo).
- Lao Tzu (Đức Lão Tử còn gọi là Thái
Thượng
Đạo Tổ), a historical figure that is the foremost master of Taoism
- Sakya-muni Buddha (Phật Thích Ca còn gọi là
Tây Phương Giáo Chủ), a historical figure who represents the master of Buddhism.
- Kong Zi (Đức Khổng Tử còn gọi là Khổng Thánh
Tiên Sư), a historical figure, the master of The Great Way of Humanity. He
represents Confucianism
On the next row down, from left to right, are:
- Kuan Yin (Đức Phật Bà Quan Âm), the Goddess of
mercy and guardian angel, is a figure of compassion in Buddhism.
- The Immortal Li Po (Đức Lý Thái Bạch), the
spiritual Pope of The Caodai Religion
- Guan Gong (Đức Quan Thánh Đế Quân còn gọi là
Quan Công), the famous Chinese Image of a war hero and figure of profound
loyalty. He is the High Spirit who guided the establishment of Caodai Religion
for early Caodai followers through spiritual mediumship.
On the next row down
is:
- Jesus Christ (Đức
Chúa Jesus), historical figure of God.
He represents the Christian belief system ( and more widely the
monotheisms of the West including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam)
At the bottom Centre
is:
- Jiang Taigong (Đức
Khương Thượng còn gọi là Khương Tử Nha), represents the Sini-Vietnamese tradition
of Geniism.
4 . 8 The Flags of The Caodai
Religion (Cờ Phướn và Cờ Vàng, Xanh, Đỏ)
There are two flags of Caodai.
- The Spiritual Flag of Lá Phướn is the symbol of
God’s Guidon, which signifies that God is the commander-in-chief. This Guidon is displayed
wherever the commander-in-chef is present. The Guidon symbolizes the ultimate
spiritual supremacy and signifies the operation of the cosmos. Wherever this
flag is standing, that place is filled with blessings from “the
commander-in-chief”. The Flag is hung on
the thin tower of the triangular pole in the front of Caodai Temple. The top of
the flag has the shape of a dragon. At the four corners of the pole are the
four spiritual lions. The pole is
40-feet high while the length of the flag is 36-feet tall.
- The Institutional Flag of Caodai Religion
represents the Great Religion for the Third Amnesty of God. The Chinese text on the yellow section means
Đại Đạo Tam Kỳ Phổ Độ.
Both flags are color-coded; Yellow stands for
Buddhism; Blue stands for Taoism; and Red stands for Confucianism. The three
colors in the Flags symbolize three religion institutions are under one
religion.
The Spiritual Flag of
Caodaism, God’s Guidon (Lá Phướn)
The iconic figure on the
Flag represents three sacred symbols of three religious traditions.
The Alm Bowl (Bát Vu)
-Buddhism
The Book (Xuân Thu) -
Confucianism
The Whisk (Phất Chủ) -
Taoism
The Institutional Flag of
Caodaism
4 . 9 What are The Meanings of the
Statues of God’s Altar’s Custodians (Ông Thiện / Ông Ác)?
On the left side of the Caodai temple is the statue
of the custodian of goodness for God’s Altar while the statue on the right is
the custodian of evilness for God’s Altar.
These two statues symbolize good and evil, and imply that Caodai
welcomes all different human personalities regardless of whether they are moral
or immoral. Anyone who has committed sins in the past who wishes to redeem
himself is always welcome at the Caodai Temple.
The fact that the guardians of the House of God
consists of both good and evil implies an important concept of Caodai
philosophy: the process of judging whether an act is moral or sinful. This
process is very complex, because the perception of goodness and evilness would
depend relatively on the perception of time, ethnic background, personality,
location, etc. An act of evilness in a
right place, at a certain time, for a certain purpose, may be perceived as an
act of goodness at another time, another place, or another purpose. An example
of this perception can be illustrated in the United States atomic bombing of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II. To many Americans, this was an act of
goodness since it helped ended WWII and thus potentially saved millions of
lives and property damages. The Japanese
and many other people, on the other hand, may consider it as an act of "evilness" because the bombing resulted in over 100,000
deaths and mass destruction of the two cities.
Thus the perception of good or evil is very relative to the perception
of a person.
5 . Structure of Caodaism
The structure of Caodaism consists of three main
holy palaces which govern all of Caodai’s religious affairs.
5 . 1 The Bát
Quái Đài
The Bát Quái Đài is the holy spiritual Eight
Trigram Palace. This serves as the Council of the Great Spirits. Bát Quái Đài
is Supreme Holy Body that directs and creates all activities of the religion
under the leadership of God and the Holy Spirits such as Sakyamuni Buddha, Lao
Tzu, Kong Zi, Kuan Yin, Li Po, Guan Gong, Jesus Christ, Jiang Taigong. The Bát Quái Đài represents the holy
invisible government of the new religion (Tượng Trưng cho THẦN - Vô Hình). [Ref
4]
5 . 2 The Hiệp Thiên Đài
The Hiệp Thiên Đài is
the sanctuary of the Divine Alliance which is also referred to as the Heaven-and-Earth-Union Palace
The Hiệp Thiên Đài is
placed under the authority of the His Holiness Hộ Pháp, who is the Head of
Religious Legislative Affairs. He is assisted by the Head of the Spiritual
Realm/Religious Affairs (Đức Thượng Phẩm) and the Head of the Temporal
Realm/Secular Affairs (Đức Thượng Sanh).
The Dharma Protector:
Phạm Công Tắc (The Head of Religious Legislative Affairs - Hiệp Thiên Đài)
The Acting Pope: Lê Văn
Trung (The Former Head of the Executive Administration and Church Program - Cửu
Trùng Đài)
5 . 3 The Cửu Trùng Đài
The Cửu Trùng Đài is
the Temple
For dignitaries in the College of Men
Dignitaries of Cửu
Trùng Đài
Buddhism - Yellow
Taoism – Blue
Confucianism – Red
Dignitaries of Hiệp
Thiên Đài
5 . 4 There are Three Bodies or Councils governing the
Holy See:
* The Council of People
(Hội Nhơn Sanh)
* The Council of
Sacerdotium (Hội Thánh)
* The Council of Highest
Authorities (Thượng Hội)
All plans made by the Council of People must be
submitted to The Council of Sacerdotium and The Council of Highest Authorities
for approval. [Ref 4]
5 . 5 Who are Caodai Worshipers?
Caodai worshipers are ordinary people who dress in
a white outfit (Áo Dài) when attending the ceremonial service at the Caodai
temple on a weekly-basis or during self-conducted prayer services at home 4
times a day (12:00am, 6:00am, 12:00pm, 6:00pm).
A Caodai worshiper may adopt a vegetarian diet six days or 10 days a
month and learn Caodai’s doctrine and philosophies.
Ritual Service at Caodai
Temple
5 . 6 What are the Benefits of
Attending Weekly Ritual Services (đi cúng) at The Caodai Temple?
Attending the weekly ritual service at The Caodai
Temple is similar to attend a training session, which is a combination of both
physical and spiritual exercises; an exercise of physical endurance, and an
exercise of making transcendent connection between Man and God or other High
Spirits. During this exercise, an individual, while silently listening to the
rituals of music and singing, would learn to be more patient, would be trained
for physical endurance, would learn to listen to the inner mind, would learn to
relax the mind and the body, would learn to direct the mind toward the positive
energy, would feel the increase of confidence in dealing with challenges in
life, would sense the spiritual love that encircles the surroundings, and would
feel the strong connection to the center energy of the universe…that is God…
thus cultivating the realization that you and God are one (trạng thái của Thiên
Nhân Hiệp Nhất). From this one would feel the salvation of the soul and the
energy of the love spreading to the surroundings and to all the people in one’s
world.
The ritual service is filled with prayers. Prayers
are the most powerful form of abstract energy that one can generate. It gives one a sensational power that is hard
to fully perceive.
If a young child attends the ritual often, he/she
will be more likely to have an open heart, care for others, do well in school,
see life in positive perspectives, have respect for others, respect life, live
attentively, be less selfish, and never dare to commit a crime that may deeply
hurt or kill other person(s) for personal gain.
Prayer is miraculous. " There are two ways to live
your life. One is as though nothing is a
miracle. The other is as though
everything is a miracle." [Albert Einstein]
" Open yourself to the
miracle of life going on around you. Sense your intimate part in the great
scheme of it." [Kristen
Zambucka]
6 . Conclusion
Caodai announces that God created the universe from
nothingness, and while creating the universe God put His spirit into all lives,
all living beings: humans, creatures, plants, and materials.
The Caodai Religion suggests that your sacred
mission is to bring peace and harmony to humanity (nhơn đạo thái bình) and to
unite the "God within" with
the Great Divine Being to achieve true enlightenment and liberty (thiên đạo
giải thoát).
Caodai declares all
Great Religions in the world are from one origin, The Supreme Being.
Caodai defines only ONE
RACE for all mankind, regardless of human-defined races, skin colors,
languages, genders, or geographical locations within the globe.
Caodai preaches that
upon birth, GOD has given each one of us the gift to protect ourselves and our
loved ones. These three simple yet
powerful gifts are: the ability to express Love and Compassion, the ability to
obtain Knowledge and Wisdom, and the Inner Power to withstand life’s tough
challenges. The level of power of these three capacities will increase as an
individual will continue to work and study hard and self-train to be a better
person.
Caodai’s iconic symbol,
The Divine Eye (Thiên Nhãn), represents the inner God that exists in the mind
and heart of each individual human being regardless ethnic background, sex,
skin colors… and symbolizes the concept that the eye not only represents human
beings but also all other living beings.
Caodai theories and
concepts do not conflict with the development of natural sciences: physically
and spiritually. It explains in a simple way why God possesses so much
knowledge, power and love simply because God does exist in each living being in
the universe, and every living being connects to God. God can understand each
individual’s heart, read each individual’s mind, recognize each individual’s
reason for existence, and has the utmost concerns for the development of each
living being because the development of each individual being will lead to the
development of his Virtues.
When Man achieves the
highest level of Love, Knowledge, and Courage, he shall find himself capable of
dealing the most difficult situations in life, shall have a better
understanding of the Truth, shall possess extraordinary beliefs in God, in
humanity and in himself, and thus, shall have much greater inner peace and
satisfaction.
May you all achieve a
higher level of Compassion, Wisdom, and Inner Strength each and every day!
References:
5 . Book: History and
Philosophy of Caodaism (Author: Gabriel Gobron)
6 . Book: Caodaism in America
7 . Book: Caodai: Faith
of Unity (H.D Bui and Ngasha Beck)
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