INAUGURATION
OF THE CAODAIST TEMPLE OF PHNOM-PENH
On Saturday
May 22nd, 1937, took place that imposing ceremony of which a speech of the
Giáo-Sư Thượng-Vinh-Thanh, Chief Assistant of the Foreign Mission of Caodaism or
Reformed Buddhism (who is believed to be the reincarnation of Francois Hugo),
constitutes the masterpiece.Here are some broad extracts:
“When our hierarchy named
me to give a speech today when we are going to inaugurate our first church
built in the capital of the Khmer Kingdom, I long hesitated to accept this mark
of honour, fearing not to be equal to the mission which seemed to me too
difficult and too delicate.The insistence of all my brethren of the Sacerdotal
Council was required in particular that of our Dean the Bishop Thuong Bay
Thanh, who is at the same time our Venerable and first Worker of the Foreign
Mission of Caodaism or Reformed Buddhism, to make up my mind to appear today
before so impressive and select an audience.
Speaking a still uncertain
French and especially not being used to the platform, I beg all your indulgence
toward me.
Please believe, ladies and
gentlemen, that you are in a house where peace and concord reign, where the
broadest tolerance has the right to be, where the least discordant word must
not be uttered, where all those who are gathered here recognize their duty to
love one another as brethren and sisters in order to follow the unique law of
God the Creator, Father of all, to whatever race we belong, from whatever
country we come.
We chose for the
inauguration of our first temple the date of the anniversary of the
disincarnation of the Great Frenchman, of Great Human, Victor Hugo, who has
been since 1927 our much loved and venerated spiritual Leader.We could then
show our gratitude to France, the country where the Great Poet was born, that
we have learned how to love on the benches of French schools, this chivalrous,
generous and humanitarian France.
It was in 1927 that the
Superior of the Reformed Buddhism, Mr. Pham-Cong-Tac came to Cambodia and the
Spirit of Victor Hugo was first manifested by turning tables, then by the
planchettes, at last by a billed-basket.So was founded the Caodaist Foreign
Mission and the Spirit Victor Hugo became our Spiritual Chief.Under his
teachings, we could propagate the new Holy Doctrine, first of all in the
territory of Cambodia, then in France and Laos, afterwards in Annam and
Tonkin.Let us pay homage to those who frequently took steps in France or in
Indochina to defend the cause of Caodaism:Mr.Roger Lascaux, attorney, Mr.Lortat
Jacob, attorney, President Albert Sarraut, the Residents Superior Richome,
Silvestre, Thibaudeau, the deputies H.Gernut, Marius Moutet, E.Outrey, Paul
Ramadier, Marc Tucart, Jean Piot, J.M.Renaitour, M.Voirin, A.Philip, Mlle
Marthe Williams, Colonel Alexis Metois, Felicien Challaye, M.E.Tozza, Babriel
Abadie de Lestra, Jean Laffray (Director of La Griffe), Ch.Bellan, Ex-Resident
of France in Cambodia, etc.etc.We beg your pardon for any unwitting omission
that we might make in this hurried account.
Now here we are gathered
in this solemnity for the inauguration of our “House of God” (Domus Dei) at
Phnom-Penh.
It is long since at
Phu-Quoc, an island situated in the Gulf of Siam, the Spirit breathed as he had
already breathed on the Island of Jersey, facing the infinite mystery of the
human conscience and destiny, by those immortal tables of Mme de Girardin et de
Victor Hugo.It is already long when the Spirit breathed in small family groups
in Saigon and quick brought the adherence of Mr.Le-Van-Trung who was to become
the Venerated Superior of Caodaism or Reformed Buddhism (3rd Amnesty of God in
the Orient).Since 1919, but especially since 1925, our movement has not ceased
to be confirmed and to win new consciences and souls on every point of the
earth.
Certainly, it has met -
like all novelties of this world - skepticism, mockery, suspicion, and its most
expressive symbols:the Eye of God that is found in a crowd of theologies and
philosophies, the swastika that is the origin of all symbolisms and esoterisms
of earthly civilization, the most respectable of our symbols, were held up to
ridicule or earned us groundless accusations, because of the ignorance and
incomprehension of wordlings who looked only on the outside.
Now, says an old French
proverb:“if you would root up the weeds, first go into the garden”.
But it is especially the
psychic basis, and why should we fear to call a cat a cat and Rollet a thief,
according to the immortal verse of Boileau?It is especially the spiritualistic
basis of our movement that was the object of the easiest and most obstinate
jokes.We will not here make an apology for modern spiritism.In spite of
ceaseless attacks of which it is the object especially since the last three
quarters of the century, the spiritualistic fact did not cease to win famous
scholars such as Sir Oliver Lodge, a physicist of world renown, Rector of the
University of Birmingham, member of the Royal Academy of England, to take only
one example.It did not cease to win islands such as Porto-Rico and Cuba, (the
most spiritualistic country proportionately to its population and where the
radio carries regular broadcasts of a spiritualistic character), whole
countries like Brazil, the “home of the Gospel” where a million inhabitants are
acknowledged spiritualistists (200,000 in Rio-de-Janeiro): it did not cease to win even
universities - unbelievable fact - for Utrecht, Leyde, Belgrade, Lund,
Buenos-Ayres, London, several American Institutions already have their chairs
of experimental spiritualism.At last it does not cease to be sympathetic with
the original thought of our epoch for after having inconstestably decided the
prophetic character of the mission and work of Victor Hugo, it has influenced
the researches of the three-times doctor Hans Driesch, professor at the
University of Leipzig, German theorician of neo-vitalism and the brilliant
essays of Allan Kardec and even Bergson.So many things we might add in defence
of the spiritualistic fact!But suffice it to say that it is most often
ignorance when it isn’t prejudice that causes painful human misunderstanding.It
is a poor cause, says British wisdom, that cannot keep a smile for the
superficial critic.
Furthermore, we have
veiled the billed basket, recognizing by the example of the Catholic Church,
and of enlightened spiritualists, that spiritualistic practises, if they can
be, and effectively in all points of the world (there are spiritualistic groups
in the ices of Alaska, in the ranchos of the Argentine pampas, in the luxuriant
nature of India), starting point of a new birth of man: its spiritual birth,
they can also lead imprudent naive persons, individuals with moral blemish, to
disastrous results.Saint Paul had already recommended to his disciples the
discerning of spirits.And thus it was that the Anglican Church, deserted by
millions of its faithful, united by a certain number of its priests
spiritualistic associations to consolidate the faith by proof, religion by
science, to associate itself in the new direction that humanity demands(one
adult out of seven still frequents the Church in England).
But what is the very
characteristic of Caodaism or Reformed Buddhism, is not so much that
experimental, psychic basis, that communion of the souls of the living and
dead, that glorious and moving fraternity of visible and invisible worlds, as
the effort of a powerful doctrinal synthesis we have realized by mixing the
Gods of Asia with the Gods of Europe.No “House of God” is in effect comparable
to ours, for European or Asiatic, believer or unbeliever may lift up his soul
toward his hope of predilection by worshipping Jesus Christ, by venerating
Gautama Buddha, or (after the example of free-thinkers of the Occident ) by
admiring Confucius.That spiritual synthesis tells us where you may find it now,
in this world divided by matter, excited by hatred, bloodstained by war.Is
there a place where one may, better than in Caodaist temple, work for that
fraternity of men, that friendship of races, that solidarity of continents in a
wide human gathering having inscribed on its labarum these two words, light of
all men of good will:Spirit, Peace?for we dare say, facing the Occident:We are
for Peace.
Peace with the temporal
authorities and chiefs, who also have their mission, often unpleasant and
difficult to fulfill in the unleashing of contradictory passions of men.Peace
with neighbouring nations, peace with foreign peoples, because war bears in
itself so many harms not to be a barbarous superstition or a satanic crime, and
the French motto of collective peace, the invisible peace, the peace by
conciliation, remains our formula despite the dark hour.Such is the meaning of
our spiritualistic synthesis.
It is true that from
Europe cones the slight reproach that Caodaism should have excluded from its
temples: Mohammed and Islam.On our part, there was no ostracism.And it is
sufficient to recall here one of the teachings of Mohammetan mysticism to see
that no Caodaist should refuse to recognize that in this anecdote of soufism,
the very history of his own birth in the divine manner, his metanoia or
upsetting of the values of the religious soul.
One disciple presents
himself at the door of the master and knocks.Silence.He knocks again.A voice
from inside:
- Who is there?
- It is I.
Silence.The door is not
opened.
Later, the disciple
presents himself again at the door of the master and knocks.A voice from
inside:
- Who is there?
- It is thou!
And the door is opened
this time.
Truly, a religion that
knew how to propagate such truths of a universal nature, a religion that has
put upon the lips of certain of its disciples those marvelous words:“ I am
neither Mohammedan, nor Christian, nor Jew, I am Ouali (God’s friend), indeed,
I say that religion could not have been the object on our part of any plot, any
conspiracy.Let the Mohammedans of India, the natives of the French
Mohammedanism believe us in this and recover confidence for our mutual good.And
since we have uttered the name of Mohammedan France which has erected its
mosque in Paris where five times a day blares from top of the minaret the call
of the muezzin, now it is sweet to us to thank, with all our hearts, sincerely
and gratefully Caodaist France, that France which, with its measured spirit,
its harmonious will, its fraternal hand always stretched toward the little ones
who have not yet realized themselves, has enabled us to be what we are, will
help us to become what we shall be.To that France which understood that the 3rd
Amnesty of God in the Orient, with psychic and then scientific basis, might
reach the universal by the synthesis character of religions which it unites and
epitomizes in a daily, peaceful and new hope in the world, which was recently
greeted not only by periodicals such as La Nature of Paris, but also Religion
of Rome and Reformator of Rio de Janeiro, to that France always ready to exalt
and glorify the spiritual and universal, constructive and benevolent values,
Caodaism or Reformed Buddhism, from its Superior and its Hierarchy to the humblest
of its faithful, now sends the heartfelt expression of its infinite
gratitude.In working for our spiritual synthesis, working in the sense of the
universal, we are conscious of having worked as Frenchmen, to come much nearer
to the French soul with which we believe ourselves to have so many secret and
mysterious affinities, that the communion of the living and dead can but
strengthen and prove itself in the future.
It is before that joyful
fact that we dare to express our dearest desire in the world:That liberal,
generous France helps us spread the benefit of our endeavour to all its
subjects and proteges without distinction, for to the thirst of souls,
spiritual possibilities must be equal to all.Therein is equity, therein is
justice.That all may be realized to the maximum and that all may go to
everybody working for that edification of the divine, the castle of the soul
according to the beautiful words of Saint Theresa in the local and ephemeral
man that the wheel of life temporarily ties to the destiny of those “earths of
Heaven” where our globe is but a stone thrown among billions of others in the
Infinite . . .
Before those infinite
perspectives, what are the stingy limitations that sadly delay the growth of
souls whose wakening awaits a ray of light, a flash of fire, so we believe that
France shall have perfect confidence in us and give to us the same facilities
as to other spiritual powers to invite to our rich feast of divine food, so
many of our brethren who may not yet come to us or to whom we may not yet go.
Let France, faithful to
its most sublime traditions, be thanked in advance for “service of its
neighbour” which is the first and greatest duty of any Caodaist.
This ceremony found
multiple echoes in the Indochinese press.
La Presse Indochinoise (4,
22nd, 1937) tells us of a visit to the Caodaist temple at Phnom-Penh, which is
situated almost at the corner of Pasquier Boulevard and Verdun Street.-
Formerly - eight years ago - it was only a simple straw hut where lived the
first missionaries.
After praiseworthy
endeavours of remarkable propaganda, the Caodaists at Phnom-Penh have attracted
into their ranks more than 20,000 faithful, men and women, among which we count
several Europeans and one thousand Chinese.
Thanks to the sacrifice
and good will of all the believers, the temple has at present become a
magnificent building.Its inauguration shall take place on the 21st, 22nd, and
23rd on next May; on the same occasion, the festival of the anniversary of
father Victor Hugo will also be celebrated.The ceremonies of these two united
festivals promise to be splendid.The great chiefs of Caodaism of Tây Ninh such
as His Holiness Phạm-Công-Tắc, Mme Huyện-Sây, will be present at the festivals.
Mr. Đặng-Trung-Chữ, chief
of the Caodaists of Phnom-Penh, with whom we had an appointment today at the
temple, could not receive us. Urgently called to Châu-Đốc, he was replaced by
Mr.Hương who served us as a guide during our visit of the newly built temple.A
thin man with an oval face, a high forehead, a little black scanty beard
clinging to the chin, Mr. Huong physically represents the caodaist-type.Very
enterprising, he guided us through the temple recently done up like new, and
with competence gave us all the desired explanations.At the entrance of the
temple, a large photo of Victor Hugo, in his classic position of a thinker, at
once strikes the sight.Near him on the same table, stands Doctor Sun Yat Sen,
the father of the Chinese Revolution.One represents the reformer of Caodaism,
the other the propagandist par excellence.At the center, the sanctuary is at
the same time austere and soberly arranged.Without superfluous decorations,
there is only a paper globe, an eye painted on cloth then, by hierarchic order,
are settled the statues of Buddha, Christ, and the angels.
On our right,
“Quan-Công-Hầu” with a bright red face is reading; on our left, “Phật Quan-Âm”
is saying prayers.At the bottom, opposite the Sanctuary, hanging on the wall is
a big picture in marble on which figure the names of Moutet, Guernut, Albert
Sarraut, Felicien Challeye, etc.
Beside the usual functions
of religion, the Caodaists also take care of the education of their children.
We paid a visit to a class
led by a young teacher having under his care twenty pupils who, with an
admirable cadence, recited aloud the lessons they had learned by heart.All are
children of Caodaists, said Mr.Huong to us not without satisfaction, on
accompanying us toward the exit.
On leaving the temple and
our guide, we carried with us the impression that the leaders of Caodaism at
Phnom-Penh have done much for the triumph of their religion; the results
already obtained are the best proofs of their tireless work which will surely
be crowned with success at the next inauguration of the temple.
L’Opinion (5, 24th, 1937)
in these terms related the inauguration:
"According
to the prepared program, the Caodaist temple of Phnom-Penh
Here is, however, the text
of the speech pronounced by His Eminency Thượng-Chữ-Thanh, Chief of the Foreign
Mission of Caodaism in the course of the first day:
“I am grateful to you for
coming in such numbers to attend the inauguration of the first Caodaist temple
in Cambodia as well as the festival of the anniversary of the spiritual Chief
of our Mission Victor Hugo.
In the name of the
caodaist hierarchy, I give you, Ladies and Gentlemen, our liveliest gratitude
for your kind attention toward us.
You may, perhaps, have learned
of the birth of Caodaism or Reformed Buddhism by publicity others than ours.
You found that it was born of a marriage between Oriental and Occidental
philosophy.It is the synthesis of all the faiths of the world.
What do we mean by
Oriental philosophy?
Is it not that which comes
from high philosophical thinking of all the Asiatic religions most of them
being found in China. Except Buddhism which is of Indian origin, but which was
also thousand years ago nationalized Chinese and Vietnamese.
The philosophy that forms
the ground of Asiatic morals has already given to the Orientals several
milleniums of civilization of which China is considered the guiding spirit.The
Vietnamese nation profits greatly thereby.
Through the interpreter of
Spiritism, we recognized that a reformation of the moral state of all humanity
is necessary for the spiritual evolution of the world.
The human spirit had
already come to a stage where the old dogmas and doctrines could not satisfy
its freer and more sublime expansion.A new era must be reserved to it; that new
era consists in giving it a broader horizon for its liberty of conscience.A new
faith must be granted to it.That faith must comprise all other existing faiths,
while conserving them in their philosophical purity.Hence the name of Caodai
(High Church or Great Faith of the world) created by the Divine Spirit.
Caodaism or Reformed
Buddhism practises a large tolerance toward all beliefs.It respects all human
consciences as it respects the universal Conscience that is the emanation of
God.The symbolic Eye figuring on our altar is the image of the individual
Conscience and the universal Conscience.Our worship then is the worship of God
and Humanity.The exterior manifestation of our new religion consists in bringing
back all thoughts toward the primordial unity:“the Conscience in itself and the
Conscience in God”.An inward voice makes us understand that Humanity is One;
one in nation, one in thought, one in religion.The idea of uniting all mankind
in a new conception of Love and Justice might give the world a more lasting
peace by the practise of God.
Caodaism or Reformed
Buddhism has a tendency to fraternize with all races and unify souls by
preaching to the world Peace and Concord.Such are the great lines dictated by
our divine Constitution practised by his ministers.
I close, Ladies and
Gentlemen, my dearest Brethren and Sisters in the faith, wishing that divine
mercy may be spread on you and on the whole world.”
La Presse Indochinoise (5,
25th, 37), in a very long report, relates in detail the outstanding events of
the ceremony.We extract only some new viewpoints:
The dedication of the
caodaist temple of Phnom-Penh, celebrated three days ago, obtained a lively
success among the population of the Khmer capital, and was marked with a
character, at the same time splendid and solemn.
Thousands of spectators,
the faithful, coming from Cochinchina and the remotest corners of Cambodia,
invaded the temple till its compound become too narrow to contain the ceaselessly
growing crowd.
For want of space, a dense
throng stood along the sidewalks and on the curb of Đỗ-Hữu-Vị Boulevard, which
was filled with pedlars who did a thriving business.Yet, no unfortunate
incident was noticed in the course of three days of festival; the police force
furnished by the caodaist members made it easy for the official police
force.With a smile and every courtesy, they guided the guests and interested
spectators.
In the evening, flags of
different nations, pennants, banderoles, banners of various colours constituted
a magnificent ornament, with the violently lit temple and agreeably decorated
platforms where took place the reception of French and local authorities,
representatives of the press and guests.
Inside the temple, the
sanctuary, possessing an austere aspect, did not exclude beauty by its
simplicity.On the right and left of the sanctuary were installed two altars:
the one, of Quan-Thánh Đế-Quân; the other, of Quan-Âm Bồ-Tát.
Outside, two big
illuminated swastikas framed the symbolic Eye of which the pupil was lit by a
green electric bulb.Opposite of the temple, on the esplanade “Bạch-Vân” was
erected a big altar with the photo of Victor Hugo seated, his elbow on a table,
which was attended by two rows of members of three orders, in yellow, red, blue
tunics.
In a broad court situated
between the esplanade and the temple, numerous French, Cambodian, Vietnamese,
Chinese and Hindu personalities visited various attractions, especially the
fireworks, the dance of the unicorn, and the “long-mã” accompanied by
Cambodian, French and Vietnamese music, which, viewing with each other in
talent and ardour, produced a deafening uproar.
This speech
was followed by a doctrinal discourse of great import delivered in Vietnamese
by Mr.Phạm-Công-Tắc who honoured the ceremony with his presence from the
beginning.The end of the lecture was received religiously and with long
applause by a fervent audience.
Truly, this
inauguration of the temple marks a fine achievement for the Caodaists of Phnom-Penh
who did their very best to give their temple - formerly a simple straw hut - a
worthy and admirable appearance.
La Dépêche
(5, 26th, 1937) also gave a very detailed account, of which we shall cite only
a few passages indicating new aspects of the ceremony.
On Pierre
Pasquier boulevard, in the quarter that one of our collaborators not long ago
called the “lake-dwellers city of Phnom-Penh
After a
detailed description of the temple, we read:
“The Hộ-Pháp
Phạm-Công-Tắc who the day before had left the Vatican of Tây-Ninh, and who stayed,
on his arrival at Phnom-Penh, in the parish house erected within the
circumference of the monastery, came at the appointed time to the temple,
arrayed in the costume of a great Marshall of the Celestial Empire, sheltered
beneath golden parasols preceded by a band playing a lively march and escorted
by a numerous retinue.
At the
entrance of the temple, the Hộ-Pháp was welcome by the Chief of the Mission,
surrounded by the local clergy.He was shown toward a platform of honour set
back from the porch on which he stood during the ceremony, armed with his
Marshall’s baton, the sight of which must have frightened the unhealthy spirits
and kept them off the sacred place.
The smoke of
the sticks of incense stuck into the vases of ash rose like a curtain before
the symbolic globe and divinities.
The monks,
draped in their red, blue or yellow gowns, the members dressed in their white
robes, knelt on the mats in line and occupied the central and lateral naves of
the temple.Now and then, heralds announced various phases of the ceremony at
the top of their voices.
The festival
over, the Ho-Phap was accompanied again by the same ceremonial to his rest
house.He then had a quick interview with La Dépêche:
The Hộ-Pháp
Phạm-Công-Tắc is a keep, educated man; he speaks and writes French admirably.He
was reading La Dépêche when we were brought into the sitting room by the Chief
of the diocese.Immediately, he stood up, offered his hand like a gentleman and,
with a smile, showed us to an arm-chair.
Fearing the
torture of a long interview, he began to let us know that he was a faithful
reader of our paper and took particular interest in its Cambodian edition for
he had in the Khmer land more than forty thousand coreligionists.
For him
Caodaism is a religion that draws its strength from social concord and
peace.The benevolent hospitality that the Vietnamese Caodaists found in
Cambodia touched them deeply.He wished with all his heart that his countrymen
might witness their deep gratitude in regard to the local authorities by
continuing to work, here as elsewhere, in the respect of the laws and customs
of the country.
He manifested
however his astonishment on seeing that orders, no doubt misinterpreted, had
been given on the occasion of this festival, to keep the subjects of His
Majesty Monivong from the merrymaking in the circumference of the Caodaist
temple . . .
His Eminency
Thượng-Chữ-Thanh,
Chief of the Foreign Mission, in residence at Phnom-Penh, next took the floor.
First, he announced the
death of Mrs.Lâm-Ngọc-Thanh, a great dignitary of Reformed Buddhism, who had
just died at Vũng-Liêm and asked the audience to observe a minute of silence.
Then he praised the
founders of Caodaism in Cochinchina, particularly dwelling on the merits of the
late Pope Lê-Văn-Trung and another dignitary, the late lamented
Cao-Quỳnh-Cư.Afterwards, having concluded the account of the new religion in
Cambodia, the orator informed the audience that the ceremony of inauguration of
the temple of Phnom-Penh coincided with the anniversary of the death of Victor
Hugo, the spiritual Chief of the Foreign Mission of Caodaism.
Three other speeches delivered
in Cantonese, Triều-Châu and Cambodian, reproduced almost word for word the
speech of Mr. Thượng-Chữ-Thanh.
In the afternoon, at 4:30
took place in the circumference of the monastery the procession of deified
personages.
Preceded by the unicorn
and followed by a dragon, the procession gathered in their order the car of
Buddha Di-Lặc, an idol with a broad smile, impassible in his nirvanian
happiness, the altar of the Pope Lê-Văn-Trung, the portrait of Victor Hugo, the
statue of Joan of Arc, the portrait of Cao-Quỳnh-Cư, that of Sun-Yat-Sen,
founder of the Chinese Republic, and at last the big car of the sacred Mountain
on which sat enthroned the great sage Lý-Thái-Bạch having on
his right the goddess Quan-Âm and on his left the warrior Quan-Công.
At the foot
of that mountain the late Pope Lê-Văn-Trung was blessing the crowd.
The
procession, preceded, accompanied and followed by noisy orchestras, made three
times the tour of the temple passing before the platform where were seated the
Ho-Phap, the personages ofhis retinue and the dignitaries of the religion.
On a part of
the platform, we noticed numerous Chinese women newly converted and draped in
white cloaks like the Vietnamese, with the marks and badges of their grade.
In France,
Le Fraterniste, in Cambodia
The
newspaper illustrations, the pictures that I have before me, show the unusual
splendor of the festival that took place under the presidence of the
Superior.Thousands of followers had come from all parts: fifteen, twenty,
twenty-five thousand?It is difficult to estimate such Asiatic crowds.Speeches
were made and broadcasted by Charles, Chief of the Foreign Mission, by
Francois, a guiding spirit of the movement.Those speeches reflect a number of
ideas that seemed to me interesting.
The
sponsorship of the spirit Victor Hugo should be sufficient to underline the
eminently spiritualistic character of Caodaism, the actual Superior
The real
alliance of the religions of the Orient and the religions of the Occident is
affirmed there in every part, at every moment, for the Caodaist pagodas are
open to the veneration of Christ, Buddha, Lao-Tze, Confucius, Mohammed, and all
the messengers of God on the earth, be they spiritualists (Victor Hugo, Camille
Flammarion) or benefactors of humanity.
In an hour
when some are putting a label on everything for dividing mankind and sowing
hatred; it seems useful to encourage this movement of reconciliation, union,
universality.In an hour when some go back to the exclusive formulas and
anathemas of the years of old:“only here may you be saved”, it seems good to
repeat, even to the deaf, that it is forever finished with the pitiful game of
labels:What only matters is not creeds, but acts.Allan Kardec has luminously
expressed:outside of charity, no salvation.
The pacific
and pacifistic spirit of Caodaism is also worthy approval.The disciples of
Cao-Đài (the Supreme Being) are hostile to distinction of peoples, races,
religions, colours, and wish a reconciliation of governments.Facing the
Occident, the Caodaists cry: we are for peace, fraternity of men, friendship of
peoples, collaboration of races.Here we are far from the barbarous politics of
totalitarian states, black, brown, or red pestilences, and hired adventurers
who, in each country, seek to ape copying the new Badinguet.
One sees in
it an admirable spiritualistic synthesis, where even an unbeliever finds his spiritual
brad, because he may in a Caodaist pagoda, ask the rules of conduct of
Confucius or the sage Lao-Tze.Indeed, the temple of Cao-Đài does not refuse its
spiritual treasuries to anybody.May we be far from our label stickers, our
little chapels, our small clans of benighted prefectures and sub-prefectures,
dead dust.
The
time-table enables us to understand the importance of these three days of
festivals:
*
* *
Program of May 21st, 1937
Morning:
11:30 a. m. Prayer (at
microphone) for world concord and peace.
Noon:
Ritual ceremony and
prayers for the dead.
Afternoon:
4:00 p. m. Gathering of
dignitaries on the esplanade.
4:30 p. m. Procession of the
portrait of Victor Hugo round the temple to be later installed on the esplanade
“Bach-Van”
5:30 p. m. Ritual ceremony
and prayers by the children’s chorus; lectures in Cambodianby Chánh-Trị-Sự
Phạm-Văn-Châu; lecture in Vietnamese by Giáo-Sư Hương-Phụng (Mme
Trần-Kim-Phụng), Tiếp-Đạo Cao-Đức-Trọng and Khai-Pháp Trần-Duy- Nghĩa.Speech in
French by the Chief of the Foreign Mission.
11:00 p.m.Great ceremony
of the anniversary of Victor Hugo, spiritual Chief of the Foreign Mission of
Caodaism.
Program of May 22nd
Morning:
5:00 a . m . Ritual ceremony.
8:00 a. m. Prayers for the
repose of the dead and for would concord and peace.
11:00 a. m. Ritual ceremony.
Evening:
4:00 p.m.Gathering of dignitaries
on the Esplanade.
4:15 p.m.Reception of H.
H. Hộ-Pháp on the esplanade.
5:00 p.m.Reception of
French and local authorities, representatives of the press and guests.
5:15 p.m.Prayer by
children of the chorus in honour of the Religion: speech of nauguration of the
Caodaist temple by the Assistant-Chief of the Foreign Mission (microphone).
6:00 p.m.Visit of the
temple by the Authorities and all the spectators.
6:15 p.m.Signing of the
Golden Book.
6:30 p.m.Tea of honour.
8:00 p.m.Speech of H.H.
Hộ-Pháp (H. H. Phạm-Công-Tắc) (at microphone).Religious lectures by H. E.
Thượng-Chữ-Thanh; other religious lectures.
11:00p.m. Ritual ceremony.
Program of May 23rd
Morning:
5:00 a. m. Ritual ceremony.
6:00 a.m.Gathering floats,
votive tables, dragons, unicorns, music, etc. on Pierre Pasquier Boulevard,
opposite the Caodaist temple.
6:45 a.m.Start of the
procession and train for town.
11: 00a.m. Ritual Ceremony.
Evening:
4:00 p.m.Gathering of
dignitaries on the esplanade.
4:30 p.m.Alloting of
prizes for floats, dragon, unicorns, votive tablets, music.
5:00 p.m.Chants by the
children’s chorus in honour of the religion, with music; ritual ceremony.
6:00 p.m.Religious
lectures by various dignitaries; closing speech by Tiếp-Thế Lê-Thế-Vĩnh.
10:00p.m. Prayers in
chorus for the repose of the dead and for world concord and peace.
11:00p.m. Great ceremony
of the 15th day of the 4th month of the year Đinh-Sửu.
Mr. Ch. Bellan,
ex-Resident of France in Cambodia, sent from Paris (9,1st, 37) his general
impression:
“I read with great
interest the documents you sent me, concerning the inauguration of the Caodaist
temple of Phnom-Penh.I have shared them with some friends and personalities
interested in this movement which tends toward the unification of religions and
to universal fraternity.
In the course history, the
opposition of various religions has caused a great deal of bloodshed and one
could wish that a mutual comprehension might be imposed for the happiness of
humanity.
The progress of science
has reduced distances more and more, but if the peoples of the earth understand
each other a little better than formerly, it is no less true that they are
often deceived by bad shepherds and that there exist, alas! many misunderstandings
among them.
If Caodaism spreads, we
may expect an era of peace and quiet, if not of happiness, the latter being not
of this world.Each one therefore must hoe his own row in that direction.For my
part, I am truly very glad to know that the odious persecutions, of which the
Caodaists have been the victims, is over.
One could not then, with
the help of all, hinder the diffusion of a doctrine that might - as Buddha
preached - it is not hate, but love that united hearts - make calm to reign
over the surface of this still-troubled earth.
My kind fraternal
greeting.
Signed : Charles Bellan
DOCTRINAL PRECISIONS
One of our good Caodaist
brethren, Mr.Gabriel Abadie, of Lestrac, little better informed than our great
journalists of Paris (City of Light) presented in VU (September 7, 1932) a
documentary and illustrated article on Caodaism contrasted with those who
batten on error and lie, Mr.Abadie can prove how much he has suffered in
committing himself to tell the truth about Caodaism.
At the beginning of the
year 1926, in a compartment
situated in the vicinity of the "Halles Centrales” in Saigon, gathered
some young learned men, all Buddhists, who were cultivating spiritism in their
leisure hours.The idea had come to them from the seances and revelations of one
of their masters, a convinced spiritist and representative of the most
important spiritist society of France.
The beginnings were not
conclusive, but little by little, with the extreme patience which characterizes
the Oriental, by eliminating those who did not possess "fluid",
replacing them by comrades better endowed, they registered, it seems,
extraordinary results.
They were, at the
beginning, put in communication, they claim, with the spirit of one of the
sages of Chinese Antiquity, Lý-Thái-Bạch, more commonly called Li-Tai-Pe, the
Chinese Homer. He who reformed literature under the 13th dynasty Tang
(713-742), an earnest Taoist who dictated them some messages.
There were
also those from Quan-Thánh Đế-Quân, the Chinese Turenne.So, what seemed first
to these neophytes of spiritism an amusement, rapidly became a mystic
occupation: the conversation with superior spirits from Beyond, from whom they
took counsel.
But the use
of the turning table to correspond with the occult world seeming to them
impractical, thus they confided to the Spirit, who recommended the
billed-basket, a kind of rattan helmet, and at the same time counseled them to
learn from the wisdom of one of their countrymen, the Phủ-Chiêu, a man versed
in spiritism.The latter, who was following the doctrine of Gautama Buddha and
practicing the morals of Confucius, told them that he had been in relations
with the spirits for several years, from whom he had obtained this revelation:the
existence of a Being, sovereign of the Supreme Universe, he was Cao-Đài.He
taught the young men to use the billed-basket and participated in their
spiritist seances.
At the
suggestion of the spirits, they entered into contact with one of their countrymen,
a former Cochinchinese mandarin and member of the Government Counsel,
Lê-văn-Trung, whose life of dissipation and unrestrained pleasure, did not
predispose him to the part he was to be called to play.
Lê-Văn-Trung’s
conversation was miraculous.Moved by grace, the opium-smoker smoked no more,
the tippler abstained from his favorite alcohol, he ceased to eat meat and
fish, gave up the pleasures of the flesh, became a vegetarian and practiced the
asceticism of the austerest bonze.It was in a following and memorable meeting
of spirits that the billed-basket enjoined Lê-Văn-Trung to take up the
propagation of Caodaism and conferred on him the title of Pope of the new
religion.
On the
subject of the universality of Caodaism, our brother very well explains the
meaning of Cao-Đài:
“ Cao-Đài”
is the symbolic name of the Supreme Being, who, for the third time, would
reveal himself to the Orient.
The opinion
of the followers of the new faith is that God, adapting his teachings to the
progress of the human spirit, now more advanced than formerly, should this time
be manifested through mediums, he being unwilling to allow any mortal the
privilege of founding Caodaism.This new manifestation of the Supreme Being so
comes because all religions submitted to human founder’s authority are unsuited
to universality, seeing that his prophets protested against the truths
proclaimed by other religious faiths, toward which they show a marked
intolerance.
The Caodaist
doctrine is, in great part, drawn from the three principal and oldest religions
of the Orient: Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.It maintains their purest
principles recognized as being the eternal, immutable truths of the Divine
Law.But it intends to re-establish in their true meaning certain beliefs that
seem to have been twisted.
So
refounded, this doctrine conciliates all religious convictions and adapts
itself to various degrees of spiritual evolution.
From a moral
point of view, it reminds man of his duties and obligations, teaches him to
know how to behave toward himself, his family, society, and the whole of
Humanity.
From a
philosophical point of view, it preaches contempt for honour, wealth, luxury,
in a word, the freeing from servitudes of matter, to look to spirituality for
the full quietude of the soul.
From the
point of view of worship, it recommends the worship of God and the veneration
of the superior spirits who constitute the occult August Hierarchy.It admits
the cult of Ancestors, built upon the principles of Buddha, but stands out
nevertheless against meat offerings and the use of votive paper.
From a
spiritualist point of view, it agrees with other religions, on the existence of
the soul, its survival from the physical envelope, its evolution by successive
reincarnation, the posthumous consequences of human actions ruled by the law of
Karma.
From the
point of view of initiation, it preaches, to those of the followers judged
worthy, the revealed teachings to empower them, by a process of spiritual
evolution, to approach ecstasies of bliss.
The basis of
caodaist doctrine is the practice of good and virtue.How could it be otherwise
with a religion that amalgamates the three great systems of the
Orient:Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, in order to uphold only the highest
teachings and eliminate the lower precepts considered as factors of
superstition and ignorance?
1.The
merciful Buddha preached devotion and charity.
2.The Taoist
Doctrine prescribed the worship of truth and the discipline of character.
3.The sage
Confucius traced the way of the Golden Mean.
Cao-Đài
united the great principles of love and goodness taught by the Three Saints,
preaching a new religion wherein men of all colours must strive by new
disciplines, toward the creation of better world, of a world from which would
be excluded wars and conquests in which the races might fraternize.
Our brother
answers the objection of a certain journalist that Jesus Christ would be there
only a second-rate divinity.
“Christ is a
hyphen between Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism.If he is placed below
Far-Eastern divinities, it is because he came to the world many centuries later
...”
In 1932, Mr.
G. Abadie had already foreseen the long and painful chapter of jokes and
persecutions that were to be let loose and from which he would not himself
escape.
“The new
religion, Reformed Buddhism, did not raise, on account of the proverbial
tolerance of the Far -Eastern peoples, any quarrel between the old worship and
the reformed one, considering that it was not so intransigent as to declare
that, besides its morals and doctrine, it could only have error and
punishment.It shows on the contrary its respect for religions, the teachings of
which seemed to it worth veneration and it did not hesitate at all besides
Buddha, LaoTze and Confucius to put in honour the image of Christ, wishing to
spread a teaching, the origin of which troubled it less than its intrinsic
value.There is nothing more to it except that the ground of its dogma is the
law of the Three-Saints (Buddha, Lao-Tze, Confucius) of which it conserves the
old beliefs, habits and rituals.
One might
ask oneself, especially these last years, what can be the deep causes that have
put the native soul heretofore asleep, toward a religiosity reaching the mystic
fanatism of the high periods of faith.
Why this
religious awakening? one asks.
The Caodaist
doctrine tends to a moral and social action by making the Vietnamese people
recover under the lead of their elite, the traditional taste of their simple,
frugal and careful existence.
One wonders
to see France or more exactly some over-zealous and certainly ill inspired
officials take sides against the heretics of the reformed heathen religion in
favor of, it seems, the old belief, which, moreover, does not solicit it, and
require that the orthodox doctrine of the old Buddhism be respected without
change, nor evolution of any sort that adapts it to new conceptions.
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