History and Philosophy of Caodaism - 1/8 (Gabriel Gobron)

Reformed Buddhism, Vietnamese Spiritism. New Religion in Eurasia.

Translated from the original French by Pham-Xuan-Thai.

Being an eminent polyglot, an indefatigable inquirer in the world of the Spirit and spirits, novelist, historian, journalist and teacher, Gabriel was a curious man and himself a curiosity.A Great soul, by his overflowing intellectual generosity, he was an ardent polemicist.

He was curious indeed, but without dilettantism: when he thought to have discovered a spiritual beauty, a philosophical or religious truth, he liked to make it known and shared by others at once.He would not hesitate to fight, always with passion,

History and Philosophy of Caodaism - 2/8 (Gabriel Gobron)

The Origins Of Vietnamese Spiritualism

Rev. Stainton Moses undertook a six-month’s retreat at Mount Athos in which he studied theology, confronting various contradictory theses.An excellent exercise which recalls the spirit, always prone to be doctrinaire, dogmatic, intolerant, to greater humility, wisdom, and truth. He was then named to a little pastorate on the Isle of Man where he never lacked for leisure: Nature, reading, prayer, meditation,

History and Philosophy of Caodaism - 3/8 (Gabriel Gobron)

UNIVERSAL LOVE

Those simple words might sum up the essential tendency of Caodaism.

The practical applications that come from it concern:

1) Human brotherhood

2) Kindness toward animals.

History and Philosophy of Caodaism - 4/8 (Gabriel Gobron)

WHAT ARE THE CAODAISTS ?

In Religio, la Ravista di Studi Religiosi, Mr.G.Mingiano writes:

" The caodaists are divided into two categories". The first one comprises all the Ecclesiastes, from the "pontife maximum" to the last novice, all bound to a severe diet of chastity, poverty and frugality.(they live exclusively on vegetables and fruits) rigorously observed.The hierarchy is on an initiatic basis and comprises seven grades of initiation: The highest,

History and Philosophy of Caodaism - 5/8 (Gabriel Gobron)

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:

History and Philosophy of Caodaism - 6/8 (Gabriel Gobron)

The explanation of the campaign conducted against Caodaism is found in the obstruction that gives rise to the reformed religion the number of faithful which is in Cochinchina, for instance, more than one million out of three million and a half inhabitants.

The former governor of Cochinchina Blanchard de la Brosse is now

History and Philosophy of Caodaism - 7/8 (Gabriel Gobron)

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

History and philosophy of Caodaism - 8/8 (Gabriel Gobron)

CAODAISM AND ITS VARIOUS BRANCHES

The religious communion of Caodaism or Đại-Đạo Tam-Kỳ Phổ-Độ ( 3rd Amnesty of God in the Orient) receives its instructions and impulsions from Tây-Ninh’s Holy See.

 It was born in Cochinchina in 1926 and was officially declared by a letter of the late Lê-văn-Trung, former Colonial Counselor,