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,

Official Declaration Addressed By The Founders Of Caodaism. To Mr LE FOL, The Governor Of Cochinchina In SaiGon.

Saigon, 7 October 1926.

To : The Governor of Cochinchina.

SAIGON.

The Governor,

We, undersigned, have the honor to respectfully inform you of the following:

There have been in Indochina three Religions (Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism). Our ancestors practiced religiously those three doctrines and lived happily by strictly following the beautiful precepts laid down by the founders of those religions.

Address given by His Holiness Ho-Phap

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

All those who are Incarnate in this world owe a double debt to two Creators who are :

1 . God the Creator or the Eternal, who gives us each a portion of His Eternity, which is represented by our soul. Thanks to this divine spark, we are separated from the other creatures by our intelligence, which leads us towards the Perfection of our being, so that we are led towards the Good and the Beautiful. The aim of each human being is to consolidate this understanding, so that they may form an intellectual torch which illuminates and guides all souls in the way of Wisdom. After we have shed the flesh, that we should leave behind some mutual assistance and education worthy of Humanity is the Will of God.