The Holy See
of TayNinh gathered in a pamphlet various pages of the Revue Caodaiste
(Caodaist Review) and published in 1936 under the title “Caodaism or Reformed
Buddhism” (Third Amnesty of God in the Orient), with these words of
introduction:
“The pages
you are going to read are extracted from the Revue Caodaiste, published at Saigon .
We have been
very careful to gather, classify and coordinate them into a small
pamphlet that
shall present to the reader a summary statement of the scheme and doctrine of
Caodaism or Reformed Buddhism.
May these
modest selections help the seeker after Truth to have an exact idea about the
Caodaist ideal in its principal traits”.
The Caodaist
Sacerdocy
We can
perhaps notice already that prayer constitutes the most important part in the
Caodaist worship.Here is how the Caodaist Dignitaries justify it :
“We are
reproached for being uselessly absorbed in long prayers, taking much time for
this obligation which might be better employed otherwise.We should willingly
acknowledge the cogency of the grounds for this reproach if the prayers we
practise consisted in a monotonous recital of intelligible words from which the
thoughts of the heart were excluded.But practised with intelligence and
earnestness, energetic and full of junction, a prayer, an act of faith, is not
only an act of worship, but also an elevation of the heart, a spring of the
soul toward the Supreme Being.
In the
existing state of their religious evolution the mass of the Caodaist faithful
needs to acquire a will such as to permit them to resist material temptations
under all circumstances, and to surround themselves with pure atmosphere which
wards off bad ideas and inferior influences of space.
That will,
to be efficacious, must be sustained by faith.Now the repeated practise of
prayer strengthens that so precious faith, at the same time attracting, by the
purity of the heart, the protecting forces of the Beyond.Further, there is
nothing more ravishing, more sublime than examining one’s conscience,
forgetting everyday, by hours of fervent prayer, business and the world, to
lift one’s thoughts toward God with which one deals face to face.
Such is the
aim of a prayer that must be daily practised by the simple faithful.Tomorrow,
raised to a superior degree of evolution, they shall know how to bring it back
to its abstract, interior form:meditation.
From an
invocatory point of view, we pray for sick, unhappy persons, for which we beg
God, not the enjoyment of a material good, of a personal interest, but the
prompt return to health or the favour of an occult moral support, empowering
them to undergo, without weakness, a trial or a karmic consequence.
We also pray
for the suffering, unhappy spirits, for whom we invoke divine mercy.
Thus
performed, prayer constitutes one of the necessary practises for the salvation
of souls.
They who
have some religious experience, who speak about religious things not from the
outside (as one curiosity that is well worth another: the point of view of
Parisian journalists, in general), but from the inside, shall recognize a great
wisdom in these simple lines.
The Caodaist
Symbolism
From the
same pamphlet, we quote these passages (p. 21):
“From the
consciousness that man has duties toward God that created him, is born the
feeling adoration.The whole of the acts by which we witness to God that feeling
of adoration constitutes what we call worship.This is true of Caodaist
worship.This is practised everyday, in temples as in private homes, in four
sessions (tứ-thời):at six o’clock a.m., at noon, at six o’clock p.m., then at
midnight.Prostrated before the divine altar, in the leap of the soul toward the
Supreme Being, we begin with the rite of the offering of incense (Niệm-hương).Then comes
that of the opening of prayers (Khai kinh).
Those prayers once said,
we set ourselves to sing in chorus a song to the glory of God, then three
others in honour of the Three Saints.
Such is, in all its
simplicity, the rite of daily worship.As for the divine worship celebrated in
temples on the days of great ceremony, there is a more imposing ceremonial.
The dignitaries of the
male sex, in their costume of ceremony, the colour of which is determined by
the branch to which they belong, prostrate themselves in transversal rows, on
the mat spread before the divine altar which they face.On their right and
before the altar of Quan-Thánh-Đế-Quân, kneel on another mat the followers of
the same sex (Nam-phai) all dressed in white with the traditional black turban
on their heads.
On the left and facing the
altar of Quan-Âm-Bồ-Tát, prostrated in the same manner as their fellow
worshippers on the right, are the women (Nữ-phái) also dressed in white: as for
dignitaries, they are distinguished from the simple believers by their special
costume.
Prayers are everywhere the
same; but here, they are set to music and recited according to command given by
the masters of ceremony.
The Caodaist worship,
besides constituting an act of adoration, contains a symbolism, which in brief,
we will explain to our readers:
The disposition of altar,
such as described by Mr. G. Coulet, is but the symbol of the fusion in unity of
five branches of Great Way (Ngũ-Chi Đại-Đạo).But the objects of worship, the
offerings, etc ... bear a secret deal, a symbolic meaning.
The objects of worship :
in the middle of the altar, is constantly left lit a lamp with a spherical
glass (Thái-Cực Đăng) symbolizing for the Universal Monad (Thái-Cực)
In the beginning of the
ages, the Universe, we think, was constituted by the Monad, who is the
Universal Soul, the non-manifested form of God.
By his manifestations, the
Monad successively presented his two aspects male and female (Lưỡng-Nghi)
represented on the altar by two kindled fires (Lưỡng-Nghi Quang).
Offerings : the offerings
of flowers, alcohol and tea, respectively symbolize the three constitutive
elements of the human being:the Tinh, the Khíand the Thần.
The Tinh, as its name
shows, is the essence of all matter, the cosmic sperm, without which no light
may be manifested.It is the sexual energy of man and animal, the germinative
virtue of plant.By its evaporation, the Tinh, which resides in man, constitutes
the coarse part of the perispirit.It is to the perispirital body as the flesh
is to the physical body.
The Khí, which literally
means breath, air, is in man, health, strength, vital energy.It is in the
perispirit, the agent that unites the soul with the physical body, which it
vivifies.
The Thần, intelligent
principle, is double in the human being, the superior mental (dương-thần or
hồn) is the divine Spirit in man;the inferior mental (âm-thần or hồn) is the
most subtile part of the perispirit.
To convert sexual energy
into vital energy (luyện tinh hóa khí), vital energy into mental energy (luyện
khí hóa thần), such is the processes of the mystical purification of the three
constitutive elements of the human being.
As for the sticks of
incense we burn at each ceremony, they are invariably five.Now this symbolic
number represents the five degrees of Initiation (kim, mộc, thủy, hỏa, thổ -
metal, wood, water, fire, earth respectively):
1 . Giải-Hương: purity
(Shila);
2 . Định-Hương: meditation (Dhyana);
3 . Huệ-Hương: wisdom
(Prajna);
4 . Tri-Kiến-Hương: Superior knowledge (Djnana);
5 . Giải-Thoát-Hương: karmic liberation (Apavarga).
To be admitted to the
threshold of Initiation, the first condition for the worshipper is purity in
all its form, purity of body, action, language, and thought.
Once the threshold is
crossed, he sets himself to meditation.By this spiritual exercise, the believer
whose thoughts and sensations stand aloof from the world of sense, lifts his
soul toward the Superior Self, with which he is put into close contact.In the
tete-a-tete of this inner withdrawal carried the completest possible
abstraction where the human soul seeks to identify itself with the universal
Soul, truths shine little by little into the worshipper’s spirit, no longer,
lured by the illusory appearances of anything in the world.
At the highest degree of
ascension, he feels in his being the full wakening of the superior knowledge
that permits him to perceive all eternal truths and embrace, without the least
effort, the whole of the past and future.In this state of supreme wisdom, he
can contemplate without being dazzled, the divine Light, a light that purifies,
illumines and beautifies.Before him, the way of salvation is now open: the
karmic liberation.
From that symbolism, as
simple as powerful, emanates the great constructive and universal lesson of the
human brotherhood:
" It is important
for the good of bruised and suffering humanity, that every people forget its
personal interest to think but of those of the whole; that they forgive one
another in all manifestations of thought and faith; that they at last show to
one another the broadest tolerance.You may object that in the actual state of
human mentality, more prone to egoism than altruism, talking about universal
fraternity, is equivalent to dreaming of utopia.This objection is unfortunately
plausible and shall remain such, so long as man shall be conceived as a body
rather than a spirit: “for, said Annie Besant, matter grows by taking around
it, constantly adopting what is exterior to it, and incorporating it into what
it already possesses.Material things are worn out and finally perish in the
use, and as their quantity is limited, they who desire to possess it are
numerous, struggles spring up between these latter.Earning, possession are in effect
the conditions of material success.
“But when man begins to
conceive himself as a spirit rather than a body, he understands that dividing
and giving are the conditions of growth and power.Spiritual riches increase in
fact in the use; they never perish; when they are given, they are multiplied;
when they are divided, their possession, their assimilation become more
complete. Brotherhood must come from the Spirit and be spread outside, through
domains of intellect and emotion, to finally affirm themselves in the material
world.It shall never be established by law imposed from outside, it must
triumph by the Spirit overflowing from within”.
One day, the petty king
Cung-Vương of Sở’s principality lost a hunting crossbow.His officers were ready
to go and seek it, but Cung-Vương prevented them, saying: ”What is the use of
fetching it.Bear in mind that we don’t lose anything; when a crossbow mislaid
by an inhabitant of So is soon found again by another inhabitant of the same
principality”.Confucius having heard those words, commented: ”What a
regrettable limitation in Cung-Vương’s feeling of fraternity!Would he not
better have said: a man lost a crossbow, another man shall find it.”.So
expressed, the concept of human fraternity by the great Chinese philosopher
appears more beautiful, more striking, more concise.
On this splendid plane of
human fraternity, Christ disciples and Hiram’s sons, the followers of Buddha,
Confucius, LaoTze and enthusiasts of theosophy, spiritism, and occultism, find
themselves united in their common desire to build the Temple of Humanity.Let us
help with all our might, this fraternal union, this constructive cooperation,
that we no longer need blush for the crimes and atrocities with which we have
till now bloodied so many centuries of History!It is time, past time, to redeem
so much of barbarity.
Let us pray! meditate!
become living temples.
To reach summits, after
trials, a Caodaist disposes of the “Cell of meditation”:
The cell of meditation is
a place where faithful are admitted to receive Initiation.
Every believer who asks to
be admitted there, must conform to the following rules:
Article 1 - He must have
fulfilled his moral duties (Nhơn-Đạo) and an exclusive vegetarian diet for more
than six months.
Article 2 - He must be
presented by a member more virtuous than he.
Article 3 - All written
communication with the outside shall be forbidden to him, except with his
parents, on condition that it be read beforehand by the Superior of the
institution.
Article 4 - He must refuse
access to the establishment to all strangers to the religion, though they be
officials or members of his own family.
Article 5 - He is forbidden to
converse with persons from outside; however, he may receive the call of his
parents or children with the Superior’s authorization.
Article 6 - He must abstain
himself from chewing betel, smoking tobacco and eating anything besides meals
served by the institution.
Article 7 - He must have a
calm spirit, a quiet conscience.He must live on good terms with his cell-mates
and avoid loud conversation; he must help them in religious practice.
Article 8 - He must obey all
injunctions of the Superior and practice spiritual exercises following the
scheduled prescriptions fixed by the latter.
How many Occidentals give
themselves up to prayer?I mean a free and spontaneous prayer.
How many Occidentals give
themselves up to meditation?
Yes, I repeat: in
spiritual matter, we Occidentals are illiterates.
Even if the great
Architect of the Universe was but an illusion, a lure, a word, prayer should be
useful, meditation should be useful.In our crass, in our anti-religious frenzy,
we have banished both from our daily practises, from our spiritual exercises of
everyday!But here, perhaps, a new science; Cosmobiology (with its great
poet:Theo Varlet), brings us back softly, not to frighten us.Strong spirits are
gentle people, who do not like to be cheated.
Counsels to a Caodaist of
Europe
Reformed Buddhism is broad
tolerance, it is the junction of all ways followed till now by people who would
move toward the Divine.You are going to cry that we are pretentious.Must we not
suffer in imitation of the Saviour, while doing a little good around us?
Vegetarian diet.-You may
begin by observing ten monthly days.We abandon the flesh diet, because we would
shun to bring suffering to beings that, though less evolved than we, yet know
how to suffer as we.Medically speaking, man, because of his constitution, is
not created to feed on flesh which his digestive organ ill supports.Besides,
animals are ill as we, it is difficult to perceive it and men feed on sick
parts.Man’s sickness added to the animals’, creates others, the nature of which
medical science still is impotent to discover, still more impotent to heal.
The vegetarian diet
generally brings a sweetness to man, always sound in body and spirit.
Since it is a matter of
habit, we only ask new adherents for six days per month.
Altar - Yes, you ought to
have an altar.All you said in your letter is the exact truth.You must always
share in the divine communion of ideas to the full,and the altar is there to
remind you.A common prayer at a fixed time really puts the spirits of every one
of us in the community of thought and gives a reflex in the divine astral that
our Master (God) leads.Did not Christ say, that where two of you shall agree in
prayer, your plea shall be heard?We then may put ourselves in spirit under the
eternal paternity of God.
The European, more than
the Asiatic, must always have an altar in his house.In fact, he must work more
than an Asiatic, for life is more difficult, and he must struggle from morning
to evening for his daily bread.And his altar is there to remind him of his
duties toward his Creator, when he comes home.
We must avoid numerous
rites that smell of charlatanism or heresy; but we must not radically do away
with them.Intellectuals and scholars are generally brought to extremes; they
are either atheists or believers to the point of intolerance not to say
fanatism.Let us be of the “golden mean” as the Sage Confucius recommends.In
case of death, gather as many as possible of our Caodaist brethren for common
prayers.These prayers are intended to facilitate the disincarnation of the dead
and, by the force of concentrated thoughts, we lift the spirit of the dead
toward superior planes which he alone cannot reach by his own efforts.
As for you, think of
living long enough to propagate the new Faith, for the of our Divine Master.For
us who know the death here below is but the resurrection in the Beyond, death
does not make us afraid; it is to us, on the contrary, a deliverance.Yet, while
we still may do a little material and moral good around us, we still must live
long enough to fulfill the mission incumbent upon us.We only may progress and
approach Divinity by a moral perfection of the soul, which is manifested by
acts of charity and love.These are the only that empower us to enter into God’s
apanage.
Dignitaries - God’s universal
government consists of two distinct branches: the one is a government ofsouls
and beings and the other, instruction and education.
Most founders of religions
belong only to second branch:Branch of instructors.They are great legislators
of God in this world.As God does not desire that, on earth, one man should hold
all divine power, he divides it into two and commits it to two highest
dignitaries.
I - The Giáo-Tông holds the
power and is the Chief of Cửu-Trùng-Đài (Cửu: nine;Trùng:planes;Đài: palace
(nine degrees of the angelic or divine Hierarchy and symbol of nine divine
planes).
II - The Hộ-Pháp is in charge
of religious justice and looks after the application of law, and is the Chief
of Hiệp-Thiên-Đài (place of meeting between God and Humanity).
(Hiệp:union;Thiên:God;Đài:palace, i.eGod united with men or men united with
God.
a) The former is attended
by dignitaries enumerated in the pamphlet “Le Caodaisme ou Bouddhisme Rénové”,
pages 35 and next in the chapter “Notre code religieux”.
The dignitaries of the
“Confucianist” Branch (Ngọc, Vietnamese name) wear a red gown which signifies
“authority”.
Those of the “Buddhist”
Branch (Thái) wear a “saffron yellow” gown (symbol of virtue).
Those of the “Taoist”
Branch (Thượng) dress in azure, symbol of Tolerance or Pacifism.
Only the Giáo-Tông and the
Chưởng-Pháp of the “Taoist” Branch dress in white.
Dignitaries of the same
grade, either Confucianists, or Taoists, or Buddhists have the same attributes,
which are defined in the above-mentioned “Religious Code”.They are
distinguished only by the colour of their costume.
When one of them is alone
in parish, he is the chief there, must see to everything and know
everything.But when they are many in the same parish, the Superior of that
parish may entrust them with the following works, based on their aptitudes,
knowledges or on the branches to which they belong:
The Reds (Confucianists)
may take charge of personnel, rites and order.
The Blues (Taoists) take
care of the interior organization, office-works, instruction, education of the
faithful, and charitable institutions.
The Yellows (Buddhists)
see to finances, building, works, and various exchanges.
b )The Hộ-Pháp is attended
by the two following collaborators:
The Thượng Phẩm who leads
souls toward Nirvana.
Thượng-Sanh who looks
after men and women and brings them toward the Đạo (the Way and the Truth).
Each of these three great
dignitaries has four immediate collaborators of the following branches (a
little detailed explanation):
The “Pháp” Branch
(mysticism) has as a Chief the Ho-Phap who manages.
The Bảo-Pháp, protector of
established laws (mystic side)
The Hiến-Pháp, he who
seeks the Beautiful, the Good for the improving of what exists;
The Khai-Pháp, propagator;
The Tiếp-Pháp, he who
helps in the application of laws and receives all complaints or suggestions.
The “Đạo” Branch
(religious life) has as a Chief the Thượng-Phẩm who looks after:
The Bảo-Đạo, Hiến-Đạo,
Khai-Đạo, Tiếp-Đạo, (same prerogatives as above, but in their branch).
The “Thế” Branch (social
life) has as a Chief the Thượng-Sanh who sees to:
The Bảo-Thế, Hiến-Thế,
Khai-Thế, Tiếp-Thế (same prerogatives as above, but in their branch).
These fifteen dignitaries
form a Counsel having the right of jurisdiction and control.They communicate
with God and Spirits as mediums.
They are seconded by a
body of twelve academicians only some of which have been named.
To accede to these grades,
one must begin by being:Archivist-secretary, then Registrar, Commissar of
Justice, Lawyer, Inspector, Chancellor and Instructor.
When an Instructor has
converted a nation, he may, according to vacancies, successively accede to one
of the grades Tiếp, then Khai, afterwards Hiến, next Bảo, and to one of the
three above-mentioned highest dignities.According also to his previous
acquisitions, he shall be in one of the Three BranchesPháp, Đạo, or Thế.
The High Dignitaries of
“Hiệp-Thiên-Đài” are charged with the instruction and education of humanity,
religious justice and control of the acts of those of Cửu-Trùng-Đài, without,
however, being able to interfere themselves in the government and
administration of the sacerdocy.They are legislators.They also have a mission
to propagate the new Faith by every means: press, meetings, etc... and to take
care of the improvement and progress of Letters, Arts, and everything that
shall serve to help humanity to live with less suffering and in moral
well-being.
I am of the “Taoist”
Branch, as are a great number of dignitaries of the Foreign Mission, who are
Spirits of Bạch-Vân-Động (of the White Lodge) presently reincarnated to work
for the success of the third Amnesty of God in the Orient.
The aura of each of us,
according to the Divine Plane to which he belongs, has a particular coloration:
blue, yellow, red or serene white.The Branch of each of us may be revealed only
by Guide-Spirits or our Divine Master, from our entry as members of the
Sacerdocy, that is to say as dignitaries, begining with Lễ-Sanh (student
priest).
Hymns -As for hymns, we
have them only in Vietnamese.There are prayers that date back to 1.200 years
ago which Hàn-Sơn-Tự lamas (Hàn-sơn's pagoda) at Cô-Tô Thành (Cô-Tô city)
obtained in spiritist seances.Their translation is impossible to us at
present.We shall later ask the spirits’ help for European prayers.Very
probably, Victor Hugo’s spirit or Saint Joan of Arc will come for that
purpose.I shall not fail to send them to you if need be.These few counsels
should be sufficient to prove -once more - that Caodaism does not speak only to
illiterate amorphous masses, for which life is a kind of animal half-sleep, but
also to evolved and uplifted minds, with mystic tendencies who need intense
religious satisfaction
God’s Altar and Offerings
God’s Altar -The Altar
resembles a small house closed on three sides, the front being open, we put
there a curtain.In time of prayer, we pull the curtain to expose a religious
emblem (divine conscience), we light a pair of candles, five sticks of incense
and sandal-wood (symbol of the five constitutive elements of man in a state of
purification (complete sanctification of the being).
In private houses -God’s
Altar may also be installed above the chimney of the sitting-room by furnishing
it with objects of worship, without being in need of the small house described
above.
God’s Altar may also be
installed on a table, higher than ordinary tables, set against the wall in the
room of honour of the house.
Hours-Prayers are said
hour times a day.
1) between 5 and 7 o’clock
a.m.
2) between 11 a . m. and 1 p. m.
3) between 5 and 7 p.m.
4) between 11 p.m. and 1 a .m.
Offerings-We offer tea in
the morning and evening, wine at noon and midnight.The tea is offered in a cup
set beside another cup containing pure water; as for the wine, we put it in
three liquor glasses.Cups and glasses must be covered when not in use.
On the first and fifteenth
day of the lunar month and on feast-days, we offer flowers and fruits.
In the middle of the table
of God’s Altar, we put a small night-light that must be lit day and night for
the flame represents the divine fire or divine light illuminating the Universe.
In time of prayer, we
light two candles and fives sticks of incense.We burn only sandal-wood in the
great ceremonies.
Signification of the
disposition of offerings.-We are taught in Bạch-Ngọc-Kinh (Nirvana) that our
Supreme Master’s throne is in the North, rising is on the left, and the setting
on the right.
It follows from this
teaching that wherever God’s Altar is installed, the divine Eye is in the
North, then the rising or “dương” is on the left and the setting or “âm” is on
the right.
In the Universe, there are
two principles “âm” and dương” that form the origin of all creation.
1 -The two candles symbolize
the two masculine and feminine Logos united for production in general;the lunar
and solar light (âm dương) still conserves the image of that productive power.
The left candle represent
the solar light (dương) must be lit first
2 - The five sticks of incense
represent the five senses of man.
3 - The three glasses of wine
represent the astral being or our vital energy.Wine is the true essence of vine
as vitality is the essence of being.Vine and grape represent matter or our
material body.Grape juice represents our vital energy or our astral.Wine is the
spirit of the vine and the grape, it then symbolizes the divine spirit of our
being or soul.
4 - The cup of pure water that
symbolizes the “dương” must be put on the left of the divine Eye and the cup of
tea that symbolizes the “âm” must be put on the right.(This tea and water is
put together and forms holy water- “âm dương”.The holy water may be given as a
drink to sick persons who have made earnest prayers, and received baptism).
Flowers representing the
“dương” must be put on the left and fruits the “âm” on the right.
The infusion of those dry
flowers, well preserved and transformed into decoction, and can heal the sick
who sincerely believe in the miracles of the Creator.
The three essential
elements (Tam-Tài) of the Universe are Heaven (Thiên), Earth (Địa), and
Humanity (Nhơn).The Heaven is essentially constituted by the Sun (Nhựt), the
Moon (Nguyệt) and the Stars (Tinh).
The Earth is essentially
constituted by water (Thủy), fire (Hỏa) and ether (Phong).
Man is essentially
constituted by matter (Tinh), the vital essence (Khí), the soul (Thần).
Offerings represent the
three essential elements of our constitution.Flowers represent matter, wine,
the vital energy and tea, the soul.
Rites and prayers
Before broaching the
subject of rites, I must give you the explanation of “lạy”.
In our country, “lạy” are
exterior marks of veneration which we inwardly manifest to God, Superior
Spirits, Sovereigns, the dead and our parents.They are, then, by no means
humiliating, as some think.To make “lạys”, we first begin by clasping the hands
(mark of absolute confidence) in the following way.
We put the thumb of the
left hand on the bottom of the ring-finger and we close the have.We cover the
left hand with the right by putting the thumb of the right hand on the bottom
of the index-finger of the left hand.
Explanation of the
position of both hands so joined.-The Heaven was created in the year Tý (year of
Rat) and Humanity in the year Dần (year of Tiger), that is why we put the thumb
of the left hand at the place of the year “Tý”, and that of the right hand at
the place of the year “Dần”.
In a
standing position, we put joined hands at the middle of the breast.Before
prostrating ourselves, we bow deeply three times making an up and down movement
with both arms forming a circle (the hands still joined) as a token of the
offering of our ardent hearts to God.
To make
“lạy”, one kneel, bringing the joined hands up to the forehead, lowering the
open hands to the floor with crossed thumbs, and making “lạy” by striking the
head on both hands a certain number of times according the grade of the Spirit
to which the “lạy” are made.
At the
appointed time for public prayers, the faithful gathered in a room reserved for
worship.They line up standing in two rows all along the room, the hands joined
and laid on the breast; priests in costume of ceremony in the first row; men
place themselves on the left, women on the right, at first face to face. As soon
as everything is ready, they put themselves in a respectful position.Men and
women saluteone another by an inclination of the head and by the up and down
motion with both arms widened into a circle, the hands joined.Then, groups of
men and women move toward one another in such way as to form rows of three or
four persons or even more, according to the width of the room, being careful
not to touch one another and leaving a free space in the middle, distinctly
separating men from women, then they turn toward the altar, their eyes looking
fixedly at the Divine Eye. The priest and faithful bow deeply three times
before the altar, then kneel; move the left foot a little forward, then fold
the right foot first, then the left.
They then
make the following signs: first of all they bring both hands still joined up to
the forehead, saying “Nam-Mô Phật” (in Buddha’s name) (related to God).
Afterwards,
on the left, up to the ear, saying “Nam
Then, on the
right, up to the ear, saying “Nam-Mô Tăng” (related to Humanity).
Then, on the
chest, uttering the five sacramental invocations as follows:
1) Nam-Mô
Cao-Đài Tiên-Ông Đại-Bồ-Tát Ma-ha-Tát (God);
2) Nam-Mô
Quan-thế-Âm Bồ-Tát Ma-ha-Tát (Buddha);
3) Nam-Mô
Lý-thái-Bạch Tiên-Trưởng (Taoism);
4) Nam-Mô
Hiệp-Thiên-Đại-Đế Quan-Thánh-Đế-Quân.
(Representatives of the
three great religions: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism).
5) Nam-Mô chư Phật, chư
Tiên, chư Thánh, chư Thần (Superior spirits).
Make a deep bow after each
invocation.
After each prayer, make
three “lạy”, that is to say to bow three times; each time, touch the floor by
your forehead. In prayer, a faithful asks his Divine Master to raise him in
wisdom, to give him enough strength and courage to follow the Way (Đạo) traced
by God and to give to Humanity the peace so often promised. A priest, besides
his requests, prays to the Divine Master to protect him for propagating the
Holy Doctrine, to teach him to know how to suffer that Humanity may leave in
peace and to make universal peace reign.
The faithful must follow
their priest with devotion in all his movements.
On feast-days, at the
beginning of the ceremony the officiating priest holds in his hands the five
sticks of incense, while he makes the signs and utters the sacramental
invocations; afterwards he passes the sticks of incense to one of his
assistants (standing near the altar).The latter plants them in a vase ad hoc.
At present, we have only
prayers in Vietnamese.We pray to God in view of obtaining prayers in French.Meanwhile,
the faithful make invocations and form vows.
At the end of the ceremony
of worship, the assistants make “lạy”, stand up (always the right foot first),
bow deeply before the altar three times, make a half-turn from right to left,
turn toward Hộ-Pháp’s altar (Buddha, Guardian of Nirvana) erected in front of
the Divine Master’s altar and pay reverence to him.Then, they come back to line
up as at the beginning of the ceremony face to face and each one at his place.
They salute one another by
a bow of the head and withdraw.
Hộ-Pháp’s altar.For the
time being, one can place against the wall a little table on which we put a
pair of candle-stick, a vase for sticks of incense, a vase for sandal-wood, a
glass for wine, a tea-cup, a water cup, a flower-pot, a fruit-saucer.On the
wall is hung a frame upon which are written these words: “Hộ-Pháp” (Buddha,
Guardian of Nirvana, protector of the faithful) and the sign “Khí” or “Vital
Breath” that resuscitates dying Humanity.
The Priests are careful,
before the end of each great ceremony, to deliver a sermon exhorting the
faithful to believe in God, the Creator and Common Father of all, to love one
another, to gather souls for the Universal Peace.
Nota Bene-As some are not
accustomed to the “lay”, we can at present replace it by a deep reverence.
Signed: Thượng-Trung-Nhựt
This ritual may seem
complicated to Occidentals, even those of good will, who may experience a
certain revulsion in playing at choir boy.In its liberalism, in its spirit of
tolerance, Caodaism allows great simplications, especially among certain
European and American people not very demonstrative in matters of faith.
Furthermore, here is the
extract of a Divine Message of the 18th of October 1936, a model of
A CAODAIST LIFE
Learn and practise my
Doctrine according to the good Lord’s rhythm.
Do not encumber it with
your own twaddle afterwards loading it with a thousand erasures! (laughter)
Those who understood
Holiness, shall know that my Law does not deliver to anybody his unfathomable
Enigma.
Live simply as the rest
mortals;
But try to purify, in
obscurity, the soul and the body.
My Doctrine does not
impose upon you garments dyed in the bark of the gia;
Nor oblige you to shave
your beard or hair, nor to abandon your family!
While you parents and
grand-parents live,
You must religiously pay
your debt of filial Piety.
Spouses piously marry for
life.
Keep that Holy Alliance
pure as a Lotus that lives in mud and is not impregnated with its smell.
Play wisely the Imbecile
or the Idiot.
And do not display to
others the Piety you keep at the bottom of your heart.
*
* *
SPIRITUAL
DIRECTIONS
(Extract of a
letter)
There are a great many
things that transcend the human understanding, that the human language is
absolutely incapable to describe.So, the spirits who are manifested to us, have
always recommended to us not to waste time in seeking to penetrate mysteries
that they themselves are not in a position to unveil.Let us seek to know the
Truth, which we need at present for our guidance, that we may not be in doubt;
once having found it, let us persevere in that way.In giving us this
recommendation, the spirits do not intend to prevent us from seeking to know,
to sound out mysteries, progressing day by day now, such is not their
intention.They fear that we will waste our time looking for things that are not
absolutely useful.
You may affirm to your
friends that Khổng-Tử (or Kung Tze), Lão-Tử (LaoTze), Gautama, Jesus of Nazareth, are
but instructors, reflexes of the Cosmic mentality who is not a God distinctly
separated from the Universe, but, on the contrary, strictly determined by it.
Each person,
wicked, perverse though he may be, always possesses a little quality; but
nobody may pretend to be endowed with all qualities.God made us imperfect that
we might have the consciousness of our weakness, in order to make us modest, to
incite us to acquire more qualities, more virtues, to reach perfection.We must
by our own means, progress, evolve more and more.Every one has what he needs to
reach Divinity; a Spirit may create a world which he shall be the Master of.
In my last
letter, I explained to you the reason why we were led to forbid the faithful to
dabble in communications with the formula of the oath dictated in the same
spirit by our Divine Master also tends to make us aware of the manoeuvres of
ill spirits and that in dictating his formula.God knows that He was addressing
followers who were in general Vietnamese, the majority of which, ignorant of
Satan’s temptations,should be easily seduced by him, which unfortunately has
happened in recent years.
Christ had
foretold Antichrists had come and founded religious sects to sow division, to
lead men astray from the way of Truth.They used all stratagems and found
numerous victims.
As you see,
the formula of the oath found its justification among us Vietnamese.
Hộ-Pháp and
his insignia.
Hộ: to
protect; Pháp: law, rule, sign, symbol.
You
distinguish three distinct objects that are Hộ-Pháp’s insignia:
a) a kind of
cube bearing the words “Xuân-Thu”;
b) a sort of
cylinder;
c) a kind of
stick having at one end a tuft of hair.
a) the cube
presents a book consisting of five volumes called “Xuân-Thu”:
Xuân: Spring
Thu: Autumn
It is a
social work written by Confucius in the form of a Gospel and which signifies
moral perfection, teaching, besides rites, divination of oracles, literature,
music and the rules of humanity: “duties of man, citizen, father and mother,
husband and wife, son, brother and sister, master and pupil, public official,
sovereign, even duties toward animals and plants”.
It is the
symbol of Confucianism.This book is called Xuân-Thu for Confucius’s idea makes
human morals sprout and fructify as the Spring and Autumn which are two seasons
having days and nights of equal length and easy to bear.
b)The
cylinder represents a big bowl, in which Buddha Shakyamuni in his days, was
accustomed to receive food offered by his followers.Heir presumptive of the
richest monarch, the mightiest kingdom of India, the prince Siddharta, later
become the Buddha Shakyamuni, had the courage to leave all his worldly wealth
to go and seek in solitude Peace of soul and Heart and Truth.He had to beg for
his living to nourish his body in view of propagating the Faith he had
acquired.
The bowl is
called “Bình-bát-du”:
Bình:basin
Bát:bowl
Du
(pronounced You):to beg.
(a bowl in
the form of a basin to receive alms), is the symbol of detachment from the
riches of this world, abnegation, renunciation, total disinterestedness of life
(asceticism).
It is the
insignia of Buddhism.
c) The stick
ornamented with a tuft of hair is called Phất-Chủ:
Phất:to move
or drive
Chủ: dust.
Or Phất-trần
(drive impurities from this world) symbolizes the moral exercise that consists
inpurifying itself day by day from all faults.As its name indicates, Phất-Chủ
is used to drive impurities from this world.
It is the
symbol of Taoism, the symbol of purity of sentiment.
In short,
the three doctrines: “Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism” (Christianity being
considered as one of the branches of Confucianism), are the three stages of the
evolution of soul, the three degrees of initiation that bring the spirit toward
pure divinity.
The three
above-described objects united form Ho-Phap’s insignia, for this dignitary,
spiritually speaking, is entrusted with the responsibility of uniting the three
doctrines and to see men live in peace and in respect of the laws of evolution.
The
Thông-Sự, called Hộ-Pháp Em (Em:younger brother; Hộ-Pháp’s miniature), for he
inherits from Hộ-Pháp a little part of his authority, that of rendering justice
to his brethren of his hamlet, wears on his gown of ceremony, on the right and
left of the breast, two badges (the three insignia put side by side) and on the
turban, just at the middle of the forehead, the same badge.
The
Phó-Trị-Sự ï is called Giáo-Tông Em (Giáo-Tông in miniature) because he
represents in his hamlet the Giáo-Tông who personifies love toward all beings,
who lovingly looks after every act of live of each member, the peace of his
spirit and heart, the progress of his evolution.The Phó-Trị-Sựwears a gown
ornamented at the collar with a band of ribbon made of of silver-white woven
thread, and at the left arm a bit a tricolored ribbon: yellow: Buddhism; blue:
Taoism; red: Confucianism.This is the exterior reflection of the three
doctrines.
The Chánh-Trị-Sự
is called Đầu-Sư Em (Đầu: first, Sư : master, Em: younger brother) or first
master of the younger brother, or the eldest in the village.The Đầu-Sư received
two powers conferred by Giáo-Tông and Hộ-Pháp.The Chánh-Trị-Sự then fulfills
Giáo-Tông and Hộ-Pháp's authorities in the village.He wears a white gown
ornamented at the collar with a strip of ribbon made of golden-yellow woven
thread and on the left arm a bit of tricoloured ribbon of a size larger than
that of the Phó-Trị-Sự.He has on his turban Hộ-Pháp's insignia.
Our Holy See
is now engaged in producing a translation of Pháp-Chánh Truyền:
Pháp: Law,
rule, sign, symbol, etc.everything that comes from the Law of evolution:
Chánh:
stable, infallible, inviolable, perfect correction (the golden mean of all);
Truyền:
order, constitution:
Pháp-Chánh-Truyền:
rules of the inviolable constitution.
The Author
of these Rules is our Divine Master Cao-Đài who dictated them to us by
mediumnic communications.
May we
repeat:these explanations, though very summary, can yet appear very complicated
for the Occidental who is frightened by the minuteness of detail,
characteristic of Oriental worships.Let them be assured: here too, always,
Caodaism admits great simplifications in certain countries.
As for children
of European type of which you spoke to me in one of your letters, scoffers will
say that they result from a crossing.But by serious study, and observation, we
are able to affirm that these children are born of honest mothers of Vietnamese
families, having lived with Vietnamese husbands.They have never set foot in the
towns inhabited and frequented by Europeans and have always lived in isolated
corners which no European has visited.Yet, certain of their children have
features of European of Aryan race; they may sometimes have a European form,
and gait, but their hair is always black like that of any other Vietnamese.
We believe
we know that these children conserve a part of their physique from preceding
reincarnations - where they were born from European parents.They are born most
often under the astral they had in their preceding reincarnations.
By
revelations, we confirmed that a man, having a split lip in a preceding
reincarnation, actually hears a hare-lip; that another who was an evolved
animal still conserves a part of his old instincts, of his previous physical
constitution.
These things
make a materialist smile naturally, who yet would fear to light three
cigarettes (two friends and himself) by the same match, to drive without a
mascot or a fetish, to lunch or dine in the number of thirteen, to cross the
arms of friends in shaking hands at departure, etc....
The
“unaccustomed” has always been the target of our sarcasms and repulsions, what
a poor and weak man we are!
The Caodaist
experience in Europe has provoked these
conclusions from a brother in Cao-Đài:
" Certain
formulas, certain external aspects of Caodaism should be modified in order to
be able to keep effectively the attention of persons susceptible of taking it
into consideration.I think - and this is already for me an experience - that
the picture of the altar representing the symbolic and shining Eye, might be
advantageously substituted for the very highly coloured images of divinities or
avatars that appear in the believer’s home.
Here, in
France, people so much prefer simplicity, a sketch, great suggestive outline,
at least among the particular public to which I necessarily must address
myself.I must say in this connection that the superb picture you sent me of
Quan-Âm Bồ-Tát (Kwan-Yin) pleases enormously, and I believe I know the reason
why it is very little coloured and simpler than that of the emblem or even that
of Quan-Thánh Đế-Quân.I already wrote to you about rites and prayers that might
be simplified to make place for simple meditation, perhaps interspersed with
short invocations.I think that in France, people might make brief but
substantial readings before the altar of Đạo:all this is a matter of
comprehension, adaptation, tolerance.The lamp of the altar (Thái-Cực Đăng) is another
of the liturgical things that should be better understood and accepted:it goes
without saying the most specially consecrated men, such as the dignitaries,
could in practice take certain liberties, still conforming as much as possible
to the symbolism of Vietnam.
Concerning
doctrine or teaching, I have written you long and often, I shall come back to
it only to affirm once more that it should be eminently preferable not to
insist on the personal aspect of the Divinity, to which I attribute without hesitation
all responsibility for the existing occidental materialism.People do not want
any more of a Jehovah God with arbitrary decisions.All my requests for
explanation and conversations I have had since December 1934 on the subject of
Dao are convergent and conclusive on that capital point:Kung-Tze, Lao-Tze,
Gautama, Jesus of Nazareth are but instructors, reflections of the Cosmic
mentality who is not a God distinctly separated from the Universe, but on the
contrary, people would listen to me but for politeness’ sake or they would tell
me to go back to Rome.
How delicate
it is for me, and painful, my dearest and venerated Brother, to dilute that
which I feel to be of vital importance for the diffusion of Đạo in France!I am
brought to believe, after what you wrote me concerning my confidences, that my
actual reincarnation in the Occident, at this time, is quite karmic, allowing
me to make, in my modest circle a liaison between a world that is fallen and
another that tends to the horizon.
But how many
misunderstandings it has to meet here!How many nuances to define to Christian
or materialistic ears, so similar in their dogmatisms issued from a common
illusion (Samara)!”
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