of the Temple Redlands , California , USA
QUESTION: Within your faith, what is the difference between
the levels of Saint, Sage and Buddha? What do those terms mean to you?
ANSWER: Cao-Đài considers all prophets equally great, but
the ways (faiths) they found in order to lead humanity in their spiritual
cultivation are classified according to this low to high level:
1- the way of humanity
or humanism founded by Confucius who taught essentially human ethics so that
people would live in a harmonious community. This level of cultivation is
dealing mostly to individual cultivation so that an individual would fulfill
his/her duties toward parents, siblings, spouses, family, community, etc.
personal interest to
serve the country.
Confucius
3- The way of Saints,
founded by Moses, then modified by Jesus, then later by Mohammed, who taught
broader love, more sacrifice (Jesus sacrified self on the cross) to humanity.
The sacrifice goes beyond national boundaries to serve all humanity.
4- The way of
Immortals, founded by Lao Tse, who taught Wei Wu (vô vi, no action), a way of
life according to nature without being attached to materials, or secular life.
This way would lead individual to immortality. This way is of higher level than
the way of Saints, for individuals would no more be involved with secular life.
Lao Tse
5- The way of Buddhas,
founded by Dipankara Buddha under the form of Hinduism, then improved (or
modified) by the Gautama Sakya Muni under the form of Buddhism, who taught
humans to be detached totally from secular life in order to be totally
liberated from suffering (on this earth) and return to the nothingness
(Nirvana). This way is considered as higher than the way of Immortals, for it
leads to the nothingness (even without a immortal life). Cao-Đài believes that
the highest place to reach for a spiritual cultivation is to return to the
unification with the Supreme Being God, to the nothingness.
King Fu Hsi
QUESTION: Is it correct that Cao-Đàiists believe that there
are 72 planets in the universe that have intelligent life? If so, where does
this belief come from?
ANSWER: The belief comes from the teachings from the Supreme
Being. Following is the teaching received from a séance regarding different
dimensions that the soul has to travel through in order to reach the
unification with God.
Listen, children:
One thing remains you
have not learned (and so do not know or recognize), and that is the true value
of the Great Way
You were born here on
this earth: You live and suffer here, and you will also die here. Do you know
what will happen to you after your death?
Do you know where you
will go?
CaoDaiism's
first and main temple in Tây Ninh , Vietnam
None of you understands
this miraculous, mystic mechanism. I will now explain: Throughout many
thousands of years, all beings are transformed through the reincarnation cycle
from minerals to plants to animals–finally reaching the stage of human beings.
Human beings on this earth are themselves divided into different classes. For
example, the class of “Emperor,” as you understand it, on this earth (the 68th
world*) is not even as worthy as the lowest class on the lower, 67th world. The
value of worlds increases as their assigned number decreases, from the 3,000th
world to the first, then through the 72 earths, then through the four great
ethereal continents and then finally through the 36 heavens. Human beings must
persevere in cultivating themselves to reach the pinnacle, the “Bạch Ngọc Kinh”
(Diamond Palace
You see: All these
classes are heavenly ones. But there are similar hellish classes. The Daemon
has thus imitated God to organize his own hierarchy with corresponding
positions for the sole purpose of punishing and harming you. I felt compelled
to grant him this tremendous privilege of attempting to seduce and induce you
to become his servants.
I have always said that
there should be justice because that is God’s law.** I have, at times, lost
many of my disciples to him. I have already clearly shown you the different
ways: the good and the evil.
I have also shown you
the direction to follow to not become lost. You should be aware that demons have
reincarnated throughout the 3,000 worlds and even among the 72 earths.
Unfortunately, these
demons are innumerable and they are masters of illusion and seduction.
This is why I have said
that I have placed many ferocious beasts among you and have ordered them to
devour you; however, I have also given each of you an armor to protect
yourself. This armor is your virtue and it is invisible to these beasts.
Thus, your virtue is
the way to exterminate the demons and to return you to Me in Nirvana. If you do
not follow the Great Way
I tell you again that
even if one fulfills one’s duty honestly and justly, she/he will still have to
reincarnate after death again and again, if she/he does not cultivate the self
spiritually by following the Great Way
Therefore, I repeat:
You should admire and respect the Great Way
Cao Dai Preists.
QUESTION: What are the three periods?
ANSWER: "Tam Kỳ" means the third appearance.
Saying “the third” denotes that there were first and second appearances.
Indeed, the first
appearance of the Great Way consisted of diverse messengers representing
diverse religions: Nhiên Đăng Cổ Phật (Dipankara Buddha), founding Hinduism or
the way of Buddhas; Thái Thượng Đạo Quân (a previous incarnation of Lao Tse),
founding Taoism, or the way of Immortals; King Fu Hsi, founding humanism, the
way of humanity; Moses, founding the way of Saints (which is Judaism, the precursor
of Christianity and Islam).
The second appearance
of the Great Way
The third appearance is
the revelation of Cao Đài, or the revelation for all religions, all previous
ways from East to West, to abide together in harmony.
QUESTION: What is the structure of your organisation and of
Cao-Đàiism in general?
ANSWER: Cao-Đài structure consists of spiritual and earthly
powers.
The spiritual power
called Bát Quái Ðài (Eight Trigram Palace
The earthly power
consists of two bodies, the executive and the legislative ones.
The Cao Dai flag.
The Cửu Trùng Ðài (The
Nine Sphere Palace) or Executive Body consists of nine ranks:
1 - One Giáo-Tông (教宗) (equivalent to Pope)
2 - Three Chưởng-Pháp (掌法) (equivalent to Legislative Cardinals)
3 - Three Đầu-Sư (掌法) (equivalent to Cardinals)
4 - Thirty six Phối-Sư (掌法) (equivalent to Archbishops)
5 - Seventy two Giáo-Sư (掌法) (equivalent to Bishops)
6 - Three thousand Giáo-Hữu (掌法) (equivalent to Priests)
7 - Lễ-Sanh (掌法) (equivalent to Student priests)
8 - Chức Việc / (Chánh-Trị-Sự, Phó-Trị-Sự, Thông-Sự / 正治事 - 副治事 - 通事) (Sub- Dignitaries)
9 - Disciples /Tín-Đồ (掌法) / Adepts
The Hiệp Thiên Ðài (The Heavenly Union Palace
The Hộ Pháp (Dharma Protector), head of the Hiệp Thiên Ðài
The Thượng Phẩm (Head of Religious
Affairs)
The Thượng Sanh (Head of
Secular Affairs)
Under each of them there
are four Zodiac Dignitaries for the total of 12 Zodiacal Dignitaries who can
all have the ability of mediumship in the spiritism seances.
The Hiệp Thiên Ðài (Heavenly
Union Palace) is the sacred place where the Supreme Being manifests to give
spiritual direction to the Cửu Trùng Ðài.
The Hiệp Thiên Ðài is also a place
where the Giáo-Tông (Pope) communicates
with superior spirits to ask for the salvation of humanity.
The Hiệp Thiên Ðài is entrusted with
the maintenance and application of religious rules and laws.
QUESTION: Is it correct that Cao-Đàiists see women and men as equals? If so, why
are women not permitted to attain some of the higher positions within the
faith?
ANSWER: Following is a paragraph from e Cao-Đài Constitution, where the Supreme
Being explained about the role of women in Cao-Đài.
The Hộ Pháp asked him about the power of the female dignitaries, he
answered:
“The dignitaries whether male or female who are on the same level have the
same powers. The Giáo-Hữu of the male college must be placed under the orders
of the Giáo-Sư
of the female college, just as the Giáo-Sư of the male college obey the Phối-Sư of the female college. Equality is for all,
but powers differ according to the dignities of the sacerdotal hierarchy.
The dignitaries of the
female college work under the command of the Đầu-Sư of the female college. In
her turn, she depends on the authority of the Giáo-Tông and of the Chưởng-Pháp .
From what has just been
said we can clearly see that the divine constitution does not permit women to
the positions of Chưởng-Pháp or
Giáo-Tông .
The Hộ Pháp objected to
the Divine Master about this divine measure. The Latter answered in this way:
" Heaven and Earth possess two constitutive elements:
the YIN and the YANG (Am-Duong). If the YANG dominates, everything lives; if
the YIN rules, everything dies. Thanks to the preponderance of the YANG, the
whole universe survives, and living beings develop. If a day came when the YANG
disappeared and the YIN reigned, the universe would fall into decay and be
destroyed! Men represent the YANG, and women, the YIN. If I allow the female
college to hold the power of the Giáo-Tông
in its hands, I will be sanctioning the triumph of the YIN over the
YANG, so that the holy doctrine will be brought to nothing! "
The Hộ-Pháp insisted
further: The female college cannot claim the rank of Giáo-Tông , but there is
nothing wrong if the women become Chưởng-Pháp
. Our Divine Master answered: “The role of the Chưởng-Pháp is even more important, for they represent
the divine law or Hộ Pháp to the Cửu Trùng Ðài. They are almost Giáo-Tông ! I do not allow the dignitaries of the
female college to be promoted to the office of Giáo-Tông . Why will I allow
them to sit on the throne of the Hộ-Pháp? The law of God is thus set down! I
beg you quite simply to love them and protect them.
QUESTION: How many branches are there of Cao-Đàiism? What are the differences
between them?
ANSWER: There are three branches in Cao-Đài symbolizing the three important ways
that humans may choose to practice.
The Confucian branch or the way of Saints that guides people to serve
living beings with true love and self sacrifice, realizing that there is God in
all living beings. This branch is represented by the red color in Cao-Đài flag.
The Taoist branch or the way of Immortals that guides humans in the self
cultivation in order to reach immortality. This branch is represented by the
color blue of the Cao-Đài flag.
The Buddhist branch or the way of Buddhas that guide humans to cultivate
self to reach the nothingness or unification with the Supreme Being. This
branch is represented by the color yellow of the Cao-Đài flag.
The branches are only the symbols of many ways of cultivation and are not
related to the responsibility of dignitaries of the branch. The responsibility
of dignitaries is determined by their ranks.
TSW: Thanks for your
time.
Note: The interview has now been published here:
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