˛ D- AI. D- AO. TAM KY` PHOˆ D- Oˆ.

HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY

OF CAODAISM

Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´

˛ ˛

dich. tu` ˛Phap-Ng´ u˜ sang Anh-Ngu˜ ´ ˛ In Lai. Theo Anˆ Ban Nam˘ 1950

GABRIEL GOBRON GABRIEL GOBRON

HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF

CAODAISM

D- anh´ may´ lai: H`ongˆ Lan & Tanˆ´ Hung˛ . ˛

Tr`ınh bay:` H`ongˆ Lan & Tanˆ´ Hung Reformed Buddhism, Xepˆ´ chu:˜ ˛H&L TypeSetter Vietnamese Spiritism, D- ong´ tap:ˆ. H&L eBooker New Religion in Eurasia. Lam` tai:. Chicago - U.S.A.

******

Translated from the original French by Pham-xu. an-Thˆ ai.´

Published under the auspices of His Excellency Tr`an-quang-Vinh,ˆ Major-General, Commander-in-Chief of the Caodaist Troops, Minister of the Armed Forces of the Government of Vietnam. 4 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 5

accredited initiator of Caosdaism in the West and more par- INTRODUCTION ticularly in France. Lectures, articles and observations succeeded one Gabriel Gobron, author of the present work on another, and with the remaining unpublished texts, they Caodaism, was an ardent and courageous writer, journalist form a copious collection of which the present posthumous and lecturer. Born at Bayonville (Meurthe-et-Moselle), book is one of the main parts. July 5, 1895, he quit the world and its sufferings at Rethel, Thus the present work constitutes an authentic July 8, 1941. With the present work and undoubtedly with message from the Beyond. It was a consoling task to us to others that shall follow, Gabriel Gobron continues his work out this text. literary works in the Beyond. This time, the work far sur- "A Message from Heaven" this posthumous passes literature. work, we are sure, will he particularly honored by the We can speak of the "Message" and with a capital numerous spiritist friends of the author who has done so letter. much, by his pen, speech and experimentation, for spiri- Being an eminent polyglot, an indefatigable tism. inquirer in the world of the Spirit and spirits, novelist, his- His printed worlds number ten volumes and hun- torian, journalist and teacher, Gabriel was a curious man dred articles or published essays everywhere, in the world, and himself a curiosity. A Great soul, by his overflowing in the languages which he spoke and wrote besides French: intellectual generosity, he was an ardent polemicist. English, German, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese. He was curious indeed, but without dilettantism: Gabriel Gobron, being the author of several nov- when he thought to have discovered a spiritual beauty, a els, had written a great many rustic pages about the life of philosophical or religious truth, he liked to make it known the workers in country and city. and shared by others at once. He would not hesitate to Truly, Gabriel Gobron was a delicate, sensitive, fight, always with passion, against those, who, in his eyes, even tender soul, who very often hid himself voluntarily wanted to put the light under a bushel. It is in this way behind this rude aspect in the manner of Leon Bloy. that he discovered Caodaism, and also in this way that he This secret sensibility of the heart and the soul fought to his last breath, praying for his illumination. had more than once inspired pages of remarkable delicacy Gabriel Gobron, a great intellect, was above all a great and finesse. heart. Delicate and modest tenderness, reaction of the After a period of research, study and discovery romantic poet who would not deny the little blue flower of beginning in 1930, Gabriel Gobron became a convinced popular romance or the archaic complaints of a folklore propagator, a well-informed, and before long officially which he loved. 6 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 7

Having exhausted himself writing big books densest materials as much by the style adopted as by the inspired by the petty miseries of daily bourgeois life, like vocabulary employed. Henri Heine, he could write little songs from a wealth of I considered "Notre Dame des Neiges" (1) to be a painful experience. great philosophical document in which a man expresses It is certain that Gabriel Gobron, throughout his himself without constraint, even esthetically, and without lifetime, was a rebel, a non-conformist, an "outsider", like any trace of social hypocrisy. Whether it pleases or not, the Theo Varlet and Macolm Mac-Laren, the poets whom he fact is: the man frees himself by´ writing, and the present liked and had made acquaintance with at the Mercure case, it not only concerns an individual deliberation, but Universel. Along with and in his scholastic, historic and numerous heredities which, tired of being repelled or sub- journalistic works, we find irritated, nervous and bitter limated, express themselves. pages, to the point of crying out and invective. They have Thus, the "beings" which exist in man, free them- been called "quibbling and rancor", but the truth is that: selves from constraints, injustices imposed by life: social, all Gabriel Gobron s works imbued with truth and suffer- individual, collective, economic injustices, etc... And at ing life, belong to the literary class which is so rightly bottom, in the very depths, but real, animated, tenacious named Dolorism of which Julien Teppe is the founder. and captivating, the mystic torture of the soul which needs The style and the rhythm of the sentences of the God and justice, cries out: "Blessed are they which do writer, Gabriel Gobron, adapt themselves spontaneously to hunger and thirst, after righteousness, for they shall be the subject treated. filled" (2). The style and the form adapt themselves to the The "Messages" received by certain attentive and sentiments to such a point as to appear unequal and dif- receptive mediums, prove that Gabriel Gobron is now ferent, and the general impression given is that no profes- among those who are satisfied. sional machinery has presided over the composition of this The social and economic injustices, the oppres- work, tohich grew up freely and courageously, like nature sions of the rich against the poor, and the wrongs of one in its liberty, with thick copses and fine glades. and the other, are rudely handled in the various worlds of Gabriel Gobron seems to be aided in the comple- Gabriel Gobron among others, in "Les Couarrails de Pont- tion of his work, by one of those sorceresses painted by a-Mousson"` published by Berger-Levrault and in "Barban- Brenghel-le-Jeune, who mix and blend the best with the douille" Mercure Universel and in "Tournemol", a novel worst, the most diverse and repulsive ingredients. The pot about a bad professor. boils, the lid is lifted, and Gabriel. Gobron, the writer, is In these works, Gabriel Gobron does not proceed not satisfied with the veracity of the facts simply recounted: by allusion; his style is direct, loaded with invective. He he must pose in the most direct terms, he delights in the insists rigorously on the facts that he has exposed, hut he 8 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 9 also speaks frankly about the reforms and transformations incomprehension of some, the dogmatics, as of others, the of present society, of which he anticipates the corruption rationalists. The "House of God" and the "Cosmic Home" and degeneration to mediocrity. will still be opposed to each other for a long time to come. Let me cite anew the preface of the study of 1938, They are, however, the fraternal and permanent expression which exposes the "case" of Gabriel Gobron. of the "ad Deum" which is in the heart of all human It is the "case", because Gabriel Gobron is a gen- beings, living tabernacles of the divine. tle lamb, who endeavours in vain to become enraged, The book of Gabriel Gobron is crammed with just, whence the attitude of vituperation, which makes us think interesting, and elevated ideas on education to be given, on of (as I have mentioned above) Leon Bloy and of the Old liberty to be respected, and on spirituality, etc... His Testament prophets. literary form is then more serene, sober and harmonious; it Gabriel Gobron is a mild man and his dreams are is an immense sheet of. water, limpid and fresh before the magnificent: dam and torrential rapids arid the overflowing of the crude And we were dreaming, since our primary school polemic style. days, to learn how to teach the little people of the world, to We must defend "Jean Peuple", we must protect create a "Cosmis Home" by the side of the "House of God". the exploited from exploitation, but we must not let "Jean Do not make teaching an immediate, utilitarian business Peuple" think that he is a little saint, for as soon as a "Jean and materialistic matter, but make education bio-cosmic to Peuple" happens to be on the other side... we quickly find show the students that we are as much the glorious sons of that power corrupts. the Universe as the obscure children of the hamlets! Reveal Therefore, while he defends him, at the same time the divine that slumber in us, the subconscious by which Gabriel Gobron exposes the manias, vices and misunder- we are in relation with the most improbable and mysterious standings of this good "Jean Peuple". entities and occult faculties, and which assures the triumph And it’s too bad for the too fond ears, for which of the Spirit over animality, over the brute that growls the "ostendite testes" of Saint Bernard must be translated within us! into "Be Men" for fear of a literal translation. Reveal the divine that slumbers within us, and Gabriel Gobron writes, "Vanquish animality, seek again for God as much as God seeks us, Then it will be conquer the brute that growls in us", and by his style, he, possible to envisage the fusion of the "House of God" and the new Doctor Jekyll, lets Mr. Hyde whom all of us bear in the "Cosmic Home" into an immense Fraternal Temple, us, speak freely. But as in Stevenson novel, it happens that the synthesis of both. Mr. Hyde disengages himself from the wise Doctor Jekyll, We are still far from this harmony of the mystic; We may then ask ourselves whether Gabriel Gobron would we are still far from it as much through the fault and not have too fixed a tendency to separate forceably matter 10 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 11 from spirit. The Brute is what it is, useful and capable of rancors really constitute, with "the pride of being what he perfection destined to transmute itself, to evolve and elevate is", the psychological document, about which I have spo- itself from heavy planes to the ethereal, It is thus for exam- ken; and the author is the actor at the same time, though ple, that he speaks rudely of sexuality and even of sensual- without acting or posing in the "Human Comedy". ity, initiated in the secrets of Stanislas of Guaita. Gabriel This must be said because in the present Gobron knows well that the human center of "G" of the posthumous work, the "History and Philosophy of Caoda- sacred Pentagram bears precisely on him, all the possibili- ism", the psychological case is surpassed: the present work ties of evolution, and of transformation on all planes: is a metapsychic testimony. cosmic, carnal, mystic and divine. By the letter "G", These are no more the deceased ancestors of matter exalts and purifies itself toward the spirit, the spirit Gabriel Gobron expressing themselves through him as a incarnated in matter. The whole forms one (3). literary medium, but rather Grabriel Gobron himself, the Beside their literary and philosophical merits, the Brother Gago from the Eternal Orient, who gives us his works of Gabriel Gobron constitute and contain some message. The present book is a precious testimony and, may psychological documents. They have been the expression of we venture to say, a fundamental book, the spiritual reper- social retrogressions of several generations. This was true cussions of which will be considerable. of some books of our author. The word Caodaism derives from Cao-Dai, the Injustices borne, sincere and pure dreams unreal- literal translation of which corresponds to: Supreme Palace. ized, atavistic restraints, all the accumulated hereditary This double term is found in the most ancient buddhist traits, these are what the author relates to us, for the author prayers. It establishes the principal origin of this religion, is urged by a thousand demon-inspirers, who blow us the which is first of all, as we shall see, a kind of reformed Bud- best and the worst in the long genealogy, which Gabriel dhism. Gobron gives us. The new religion (its essential message dates from He sometimes touches grandeur while his simpli- 1926) is rooted in the most tried tradition of Buddhism, city shows what it is and what he is. But soon Mr. Hyde and its purest revelations. returns and here is our author, lost in massive details, Caodaism, is, up to a certain point, comparable to which, however, may have their own significance and rea- what Protestantism had been in its origin, compared to sons for existence. Catholicism. For the rest, even this possibility of com- The reader, tasting the paragraphs of a very good parison is already outweighed in the beneficent sense, that observation (where harmonized sensibility dominates the is to say, in the sense of good understanding. Permitting style and simplifies it), tells to himself that the dispersion, the vision in a more or less remote future, the union of the the loss of self-control, the ebullience of the atavistic christian Churches in a total Catholic Unity. 12 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 13

What characterizes Caodaism is its spirit of syn- Truth, to integral Beauty in the practice of the Universal thesis. That is why its conciliating role can render a great Good. service to religions peace, and thence quite simply to peace. What will surprise certain readers is that Caoda- There is no sectarianism in Caodaism, and also ism arises from contemporary revelation, and that this instead of tending toward the opposition of religions among revelation is attained through the course of spiritism. themselves, this new religion constitutes and will consti- We should rather surprise the conformists who tute more and more a permanent call to good will among love their readymade ideas, well-ordered classifications, and the various creeds: religious, mystic, philosophical, or eso- relationships as logical as they are. artificial, if we would teric. reveal the "spiritist sources" of the principal, great human Understanding among all spiritual forces will movements from Joan of Arc to Caodaism. give the world the best harmony at all levels. The "spiritist" character of the military, genius of Caodaism, as we shall see, is a religious synthesis Jean of Arc was demonstrated by the work, of Lieutenant which, in spirit and in Truth, tends to harmonize all Colonel, Collet,, who published at Nancy, 1920, a "Mili- human beings with the laws of the Cosmic Order. n order tary Life of Joan of Arc", with technical precision and to penetrate the rites of this new, and at the same time, very rational statement, for he is competent to judge concerning old religion, it suffices to be spiritually free, intellectually inspiration through the luminous analysis of the theories of sincere, cordially kind and physically at the service of Spiritism of Gabriel Delanne, Brierre de Boismont, Leon Good. Denis and some others. The spiritual freedom required is that which That which inspired Joan of Arc also inspired in relieves the being from dogmatically imposed restraints and the Occident one of the greatest poetic, literary, political, mental frauds due to the undemonstrated "a priori", and esthetic and religious movements which we put under the that in the practice of the Universal Good. general term: Romanticism. We can say and we shall see it in following the In fact, Ossianism, as we know, is one of the roots present book, that Caodaism, beside the inspired part, of European Romanticism. It was engendered by the work possesses in itself, aside from the "Message" a whole set of of a medium, James Macpherson. It is a case of the so-called propositions, the distinctness and precision of which are a "spiritist medium prior to litteratare", James Macpherson, charm to the Reason as well as an evidence for the Intelli- who produced in English prose the bardic messages, origi- gence. Whether these reasonable propositions be first of all nally expressed in the Gaelic language by the poet King "messaged" or "inspired", the effect is still that of a mystic Ossian, a bard of the 3rd century. progression in the attractive radiance of he Doctrine which James Macpherson has been accused of literary tends with all its divine and human force to fundamental fraud, because, naturally he had employed the "Gaelic 14 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 15 poems" in every document. These message-poems were dic- translates into French the works of Ossian, the 3rd century tated to him by the spirit of Ossian in the very language of bard, the Gaelic poems "received" by James Macpherson. P. the medium-writer, but in a style and rhythm so original Christian closes his introduction with these lines, regard- that they forced the enthusiastic admiration of most of the ing these poems which "maintain" here and there a com- great writers of his age and the following Turgot, Diderot parison with those of Homer, and often lean toward contributed to making these poems known to Europe; and Hebraic poetry which has been so much praised, and Mme de Stael considered Ossian as the "Homer of the perhaps so poorly understood. North". Chateaubriand did not withhold his admiration The proofs of the spiritist origin of Caodaism will even after the accusation of literary fraud. We have these be easier to demonstrate than that of Ossianism; and it is messages (1760-1763) in a French translation by P. Chris- also to render homage to, and by this means to communi- tian (Lavigne, publisher, Paris 1842). cate with the Hereafter, that the present Work was pub- P. Christian is the author of the famous, basic lished, recast, clarified, and completed. "History of Magic". It is spiritism that led Gabriel Gobron toward The messages of Ossian were dictated (or Caodaism, as the latter has been revealed by spiritism. inspired, as we like to say) to James Macpherson during a Caodaism is a true, reformed Buddhism, it is also period of three years (1760-1763): Fingal, in six songs; a particular form of spiritism: the Vietnamese Spiritism. Comola, a dramatic poem, the war of Inistoma, the Deliver- We add today, in order to make it complete, the ance of Carrictura, Cathon, Darthula, war of Temora, etc... synthesis of religions, because what we desire to reveal to on the whole, about a score of poems of various lengths. the public is revealed in the present edition. These poems lost their prestige in the eyes of the Since Caodaism, born of spiritism, reformed Bud- public when they were attributed to literary fraud. We have dhism, and afterwards expanded into a harmonious syn- reason to believe that Shakespeare, Walter Scott and some thesis of all religions, it did so without losing the best of its others were, like James Macpherson and Victor Hugo, the spiritist origins or of its Buddhist formation. inspired mediums of Romanticism. They transmitted the Being true theosophy, the Caodaist doctrine draws messages as James Macpherson transmitted from Ossian. to it through perfect selection all that was good, beautiful, It Would be interesting to publish some day "the and above all essential in the other religions, whether in the Spiritual Origins of Romanticism" and Gabriel Gobron practical, the moral, the ritual or in philosophy. brings us to this subject an inspiring and documented Due to the great modesty of Brother Gago source of incontestable originality and authenticity. (Gabriel Gobron is so-called by the Caodaists of Indochina), What is curious to us is that: it was P. Christian, he willingly limited his role to that of polemist-advocate, a man initiated into the occult, and a medium himself, who propagandist of the new religion. His essays, his 16 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 17 meditations, his study of mysticism merited more. We can (Executor of the will of Gabriel Gobron) say today that he is the first philosopher and the first his- ______torian of Caodaism. (1) Some Copies of this fine hook are stilt to he found His Work seemed to be unfinished when he left at: Mme Vve G. Gobron, 9, rue de Serre, a Nancy the earthly life for the Eternal Orient, but with the publica- (Meurthe-et-Moselle). tion of the present work, his value as historian of Caodaism’ (2) Extract from the preface by Valentin Bresle, founder is confirmed. and director of the Mercure Vniversel, 12, rue Fromentin, From the Beyond, Brother Gago enlightens and Paris {9e). protects us still, for such was the profound will of his faith. (3) Valentin Bresle has since greatly developed these Piously, let us listen to him, accepting his mis- esderic theories in Thesaurus inagise and in Thesaurus sion with a wholly Caodaist humility. Sapentise. If we have accepted this ungrateful role of first historian of Caodaism, it is because our brothers and friends of Vietnam have judged in their excessive indul- gence that we were one of the best informed Westerners on the progress and tribulations of reformed Buddhism. Feeble health hardly favors the overwhelming duties of such a charge. We apologize to the attentive reader, for all the imperfections of our work. We ask him only, above all, to pardon us when we cannot stay "in line", that is to say, fraternally, even toward our adver- saries and enemies: It is then that the Caodaist will have proved Unworthy. He will not have attained selfmastery. The patient will have torn his cap in a fit of ill-humor, and stamped the most sublime pages of Christ, Buddha and Confucius... By compunction, we have transmitted the mes- sage, It only remains for us to turn over in silence to the reader, relieved of our comments, this posthumous work of Gabriel Gobron. DELECOURT-GALLOIS 18 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 19

the the wildest bird of Lapland. THE ORIGINS OF ______VIETNAMESE (1) The British National Spiritist Association was SPIRITUALISM founded in 1873, partly through the initiative of Rev. Stain- ton Moses who formed eleven years later the Spiritualist Rev. Stainton Moses (1) undertook a six Alliance of London, today the most powerful in En-gland, month’s retreat at Mount Athos in which he studied (page 35, Rene Sudre, introduction a la Metapsyehique theology, confronting various contradictory theses. humaine, Payot Edition 1926). An excellent exercise which recalls the spirit, always Thanks to the help of Stainton Moses and several oth- prone to be doctrinaire, dogmatic, intolerant, to ers, Crookes suc-ceeded in founding on February 20, 1862 greater humility, wisdom, and truth. He was then the "Society for Psychic Research" (S.P.R.) "which played a named to a little pastorate on the Isle of Man where considerable role in the history of metaphysics", (op. cit. he never lacked for leisure: Nature, reading, prayer, page 38). meditation, silence and mystic contemplation made Where The Holy Is, The Earth Is Holy. him a poignant orator: The Imperator Spirit had Where the holy is, nature rises above itself. already seized him, and intended never to release The Holy rises in man, It is man above him- him, no more than his demon would release Socrates. self. Imperator led Rev. Stainton Moses to Oxford Univer- The Holy rises Within man above the level of sity, but above all, made of him one of the most pre- mankind in communing with the Spirit. cious instruments of the "New Revelation", one of the Thus, on the threshhold of this book, we most sublimely inspired mediums of our age. must listen to the voice, which says: It was in the same solitude, the same calm From the height of the roofless tower where meditative retreat, that Cao-D- ai` found his first Cao- Ecstasy had carried me, I regarded the world, sad and daist. No temple more beautiful than that nature, no cold, black and shaken. book more divine than the book of life. Jesus retired From the height of the roofless tower where to the Garden of Gethsemane, even to the desert; St. Faith had raised me, I saw afar the sea, guarding its Francis of Assiz spoke to his little sister the rain, to blue quietness like a veiled Virgin. his little brother the wind, to the silent stars, to the From the height of the roofless tower where talkative swallows, and he stroked the jaws of the faith had led me, I saw the dawn of an eveless morn- wolf of Gubbio and brought it home like a pet dog. ing and an infinite day. The Swedish naturalist Bengt Berg nestled in his hand From the height of the roofless tower where 20 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 21 love had placed me, I beheld the sun lighten the (C`au-Tiˆ enˆ ) from whom he received the necessary earth. instruction for his spiritual growth. Among the com- The sad cold world turned red and warm. municating spirits, he discovered one named Cao- Black became white, and white was changed D- ai,` in whom he became particularly interested. into black. Peace and harmony reigned in the world. From the first, this name caused general From the height of the roofless tower, my astonishment among those present, for to their heart wept for joy, my soul saw ecstasy, my body knowledge, no religious work had ever made men- broke with pain. tion of it, Chieuˆ , nevertheless, whose wisdom was From the height of the roofless tower, I saw admired by all, by means of his revelutions and philo- the shadow ship crossing the sea of light, and sophical studies, believed he recognized a surname of wondering, I contemplated the Mover of stars, the God. Ordainer of worlds. Having asked Cao-D- ai` for permission to I saw the elements, the seasons, and the worship him in tangible form, he was ordered to months obey the Watcher. make representation in the form of a symbolic eye. The great and watching Eye. Prayer To The Eye Of God. From the height of the roofless tower, I saw Eye of God, in Him, by Him, for Him. Thou art the gold and the crystal of heaven. The First Caodaist. Ethereal essence of all essence of all things, It was early in the year B´ınh-D`anˆ (1926) that Thou seest in all. Caodaism was founded. But for six years, one man Bodyless spirit expressed in a look (the wise had been worshipping the Great Master Cao-D- ai.` Mr. never confuse the symbol with that which it Ngo-vˆ an-Chi˘ euˆ , who was at that time in the service of represents). Thy vision is infinite. the criminal investigation department of the Cochin- Total intelligence, penetrating, enveloping: china government. Zodiacal. Life: Principle of life, life of all principle As an administrative delegate in 1919, at a which the sun’s regard develops and multiplies in the post called Phu-Qu´ ocˆ´ , on island in the Gulf of Siam, Mr. Gold of Heaven. Ngo-vˆ an-Chi˘ euˆ led a life of great wisdom, conform- Night’s repose in the light of the moon: ing to the stern rules of Taoism. From time to time, in Crystal of heaven. this isolated place so favorable to the religious life, he Sidereal light. gave himself, with the help of young mediums from Solar light. 12 to 15 years of age, to evoking the great Spirits Lunar light. 22 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 23

Unique light in the eye of God. himself, in spite of the entreaties of his hearers. Soon, Unique light of the eye of God. other secretaries came to swell the little group of ama- Thou Three-in-One of the One-look. teur spiritists, The meetings became more serious and Eye of God regular. As the ouidja board was no longer con- Bathe my spirit in the light of crystal and gold. venient, this spirit replaced it by the "corbeille a bec" Amen... more rapid and less fatiguing for the apprentice- Such was the conversion of the first Caodaist, mediums. to the new religion, that it was able, six years later, to On Christmas eve, the 24th of December, plant itself in Sai-G` on.` Soon, Mr. Chieuˆ ’s administra- 1925, the guiding spirit, who, until then had tive duties recalled him to the capital, where he made obstinately guarded his anonymity, revealed himself several proselytes to the new faith. But let us leave for at last as the "Supreme Being", coming under the the moment these first converts, to show the reader name of Cao-D- ai` to teach truth to Vietnam. Speaking the manner in which the Great Master recruited his in Vietnamese, he said in substance:

mediums. "Rejoice this day. It is the anniversary of my com- ˛ ˛ It was the middle of the year At-Sˆ´ uu (1925). ing to Europe to teach my doctrine. I am happy to see you, A little group of Vietnamese secretaries belonging to my disciples full of respect and love to me. This house will various branches of the administration a Sai-G` on,` have all my blessings. Manifestations of my power will amused themselves evenings by dabbling in spiri- inspire even greater respect and love in my regard..." tism. They made use of a "ouidja board". Their first From that day forth, the Great Master ini- attempts were mediocre. But through patience and tiated his disciples in the new doctrine. practise, they finally obtained results. Their questions Such was the calling of the first mediums put to the spirit, sometimes in verse, sometimes in charged with the reception of the divine messages. prose, received surprising answers. Their dead I asked the Great Master, who from the parents and friends showed themselves to talk of nearby Beyond made answer. family affairs and give counsel. These sensational I asked the Great Master, saying, "Venerated revelations taught them of the existence of an occult Lord, what is the earth?" world. The Spirit replied: One of the communicating spirits became The earth is a vessel which rocks in an ocean of particulary noticeabbe by his high level of moral and light. philosophic teachings. This spirit who signed himself This light is time and space. under the pseudonym "AAA", did not wish to reveal Time is invisible light. 24 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 25

Space is visible light. Tang dynasty (713-742), a fervent Taoist. Thus time envelops space as spirit envelops all. Thus, once again, we seem justified in our Time hovers above, within and without. sub-title: Caodaism, or Vietnamese Spiritism. Space abides beneath, without and within. A French Testimony. Of invisible space is time It is that of Mr. Jean Roos, writing in le Colon Of the passing of time is space. francais of Haiphong, on the origin of Caodaism: The earth is a vessel that rocks, rocks in an ocean 1926! The year is just beginning! of light. In a few days comes the Vietnamese Tet.ˆ´ Not The earth is time condensed. The weighting of far from the Central Market, in a block of shop- spirit in matter. houses of modest appearance, occupied for the most Consulting the magazine l’Inde Illustree´ , part by employees of the administration and large which undertook a series of articles on various reli- business firms. In one of them, since many long gious manifestations in British India, Siam, China, months, young clerks from Customs, Public Works, Japan, the Philippines, etc., we find in N. 2, dated the Railroad, and various business houses find them- March, 1933, a study on Caodaism in Vietnam selves from evening to evening playing with the table (South). We read concerning its origins: - tipping it, making it talk. They are all Buddhists. Of recent date (1929) Caodaism has grown How did it all begin? One of them had heard of spiri- rapidly and spread through all Cochinchina. tualism, of the most important tables, in his office, Origin: Early in 1926, some young Viet- where one of the bosses, a Cochinchinese, is a con- namese scholars, all Buddhists, gathered in a compar- vinced spiritualist, member of one of the most impor- timent in the middle of Sai-G` on.` They had the habit of tant spiritist societies of France. He, in turn, had spo- "table tipping", and giving themselves to spiritist ken of it to friends, and one day, they found them- experiments. selves, four of them, seated about a table. After a period of groping about, they finally We´ll see if this works! We´ll see if there´s obtained some "surprising" results, they said, by anything to it! they said. The beginnings were not means of some of their number who possessed a very brilliant, but, little by little, eliminating those powerful "fluids". who did not possess the "fluid", replacing them by They were at first in spirit communication more gifted friends, they marked up extraordinary with one of the Chinese sage of antiquity, Ly-th´ ai-´ results. They never failed to receive answers to their Bach,. more commnly known as Li-tai-pe, the Chinese questions put to the table. They asked if they were Homer, author of a literary revival under the 13th truly in communication with a spirit. The answer was 26 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 27 affirmative. too difficult for himself, to make them understand by The thing became serious. At each session, means of a table what he was talking about. they asked the name of the spirit who spoke to them. Thus, Caodaism was about to be born, or Most frequently, Ly-th´ ai-B´ ach,. or Quan-thanh-´ D- e-ˆ´ rather was about to enter into the stage of its popular- Quan,ˆ or sometimes a person unknown. Thus, that ity, since, for many years as we shall see, one man which, at the beginning, had been only an amusement had been worshipping Cao-D- ai.` with a touch of that mysticism which nearly always This man who followed the holy doctrine of ˛ flourishes in the Vietnamese soul, became a Gautama Buddha, was none other than the Phu- privileged conversation with the superior spirits of Chieu.ˆ Besides the moraltea chings of Buddha and the occult world of whom they asked counsel. those of Confucius Whom he venerated as emana- No doubts were raised concerning the nature tions of the divine, he believed in the existence of a of the conversations, first, because it was equally new Supreme Being, All-powerful, Sovereign Master of to all, it was impossible to suspect one another of con- the Universe, called Cao-D- ai.` He believed also in the nivance, and later, because certain communications spirits with whom he claimed to have been in relation from the correspondent of the occult world revealed for years. The dignity of life of this first Caodaist, to such lofty sentiments, scientific, knowlege, and depth whom the young men were sent, was exemplary. His of philosophy that none among them was capable of compatriots unanimously considered him a holy being the author. man. He taught the clerks the use of the corbeille a` But the use of the tipping table to correspond bec, to which I shall return later, which greatly facili- with the occult world was not very practical! So much tated their spiritualistic seances. He participated with time was required for receiving the shortest sentence! them, happy to make use of mediums particulary apt, It was at the time of which I speak, that is, gifted, and possessed of unusually powerful fluid. shortly before the Vietnamese Tet of 1926, that they After having entered into relations with the ˛ made known their complaint to the spirit. Phu-Chieu,ˆ it. was under the same conditions at the It answered that they should make use of the invitation of the same spirit, that they went to find corbeille. another of their compatriots, a former Cochinchinese And since they asked what that was - (those mandarin, a member of the governement counsel, more or less versed in spiritism or having attended Le-vˆ an-Trung,˘ who was given from time to time to but one seance will see what novices they still were) - spiritualist seances. Le-vˆ an-Trung,˘ whose name the the spirit told them to address their compatriot, the young clerks didn’t know until the spirit told them, ˛ Phu-Chieu,ˆ one very deep in spiritism, for it would be had not always led a life of exemplary wisdom. He 28 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 29 ˛ had, on the contrary, gotten the most out of life to the The Phu-Chieuˆ who had first of all been point that, at the moment that the young men were designated to fulfil the functions of supreme Chief of sent to him, he had nearly ruined all his fortune. the religion, the pope of Caodaism, decided to retire Having already passed the half-century and was replaced by Le-vˆ an-Trung.˘ mark, Le-vˆ an-Trung˘ who seemed in everyone´s eyes Upon asking one of the principal dignitaries an impenitent materialist, in his amateur spiritist for the cause of Mr. Chieuˆ s attitude, I was told that hours, considered as a warning from the Supreme since he had been the first caodaist of Cochinchina, he ˛ Being the fact that he, with the Phu-Chieuˆ whom he would normally have been called to fulfil the func- had long known, had been chosen to show the way to tions of supreme leader of that religion, but that he the young spiritists. He resolved from that day to had shown himself incapable of overcoming a temp- lead an exemplary life and to show himself worthy of tation which God had assigned him as he imposes to the mission to which he had been called by Cao-D- ai.` all superior beings before raising them, from low He immediately ceased smoking opium without the degree, to a scale the top of which is perfection and he slightest inconvenience (which proves, say the Cao- was, therefore, obliged to redeem this weakness of daists, how much he was strengthened by the which he had given proof before taking back the Supreme Being, for without help, he could never have place to which his past seemed to give right. cured himself so easily), he abstained from alcohol, The Pope of Caodaism. from the eating of meat, became, in a word, a sincere The conversion of Mr. Le-vˆ an-Trung˘ who Buddhist priest. was to become Pope of Caodaism, was one of the This miraculous conversion attracted to him great events of Indochina´s history.

the first group of adherents, in general members of It was also in 1925, Mr. Le-vˆ an-Trung˘ was

˛

well-to-do families, or well-placed government offi- living in the city of Cho-L˛ on.´ Given to diverse enter- ˛ ˛ ˛ .

cials, among which was Phu-Tuong, in the provincial prises, in the tumult of that town devoted to the wor- ˛

administration of Cho-L. ˛ on,´ who was, like his col- ship of money, he had a spirit completely averse to league Chieu,ˆ a man of superior morals, practising on religion. One evening, at the invitation of one of his every occasion the humanitarian virtues dear to Con- relatives, a convinced spiritualist belonging to a reli- ˛

fucius, the D- oc-Phˆ´ u Le-bˆ a-Trang´ the honorary Huyenˆ gious sect called "Minh-ly"´ at Sai-G` on,` he went to a ˛ ˛ . Nguyen-ng˜ˆ oc-Th. o and his wife, the former Mrs. Mon- seance that was to take place in the suburb of Cho-. nier, a very rich Cochinchinese, who had long used a Gao.. part of his income for works of benevolence and char- At that meeting, it was the spirit Ly-Th´ ai-´ ity. Bach. that was manifested. Taking Mr. Trung aside, he 30 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 31 revealed to him his spiritual origin and at the same That revelation confirmed the allusions of time announced to him his future religious mission. various spiritualistic messages that Mr. Trung had

He then exhorted him to quickly submit himself to received at Cho-G. ˛ ao. with other mediums. It fortified the regime imposed by the new faith. Moved by his conviction and encouraged him to consecrate him- grace, Mr. Trung without hesitation, sustained by his self without reserve to religious exercise.

faith, had the courage to cease smoking opium and Some time after, the Great Master sent ˛ ˛ follow a vegetarian diet; he also left his business Messrs. Trung, Cu and Tac´˘ close to the Phu-Chieu,ˆ enterprises in order to consecrate himself entirely to who had to guide them in the religious way as an religion. elder brother. This man having been so ordered by The conversion of that man, the day before the Great Master, welcomed them most cordially. He still attached to wealth and pleasure, is so striking immediately put them in contact with his first co- that we may ask ourselves whether the spiritualistic religionists. The caodaist cell thus formed was com-

seances organized at Cho-G. ˛ ao. had not been inspired posed of a dozen members, all of French culture and by missionary spirits with the unique aim of bringing most employees in various administrative depart- back Mr. Le-vˆ an-Trung˘ in the way of the Law. In fact, ments in Sai-G` on.` when the latter had made up his mind to live accord- The earnestness and disinterestedness of ing to the new faith which he had adopted, they these pioneers soon attracted to them an increasing ordered the dispersion of the spiritualistic group, to number of adherents. The Caodaist religion then the great astonishment and sorrow of its members. came out of its limited circle to spread among the In Sai-G` on,` the Great Master, feeling the time people at the begining of the year B´ınh-D`anˆ (1926). ˛

had come, united the mediums of Le-vˆ an-Trung.˘ He The Phu-Chieuˆ used to his solitude, was then sent two of these (Messrs. Cu˛and Tac)´˘ to the annoyed by the influx of adherents who bothered newly converted, with the order to organize there a him. As an official conscious of his responsibilities, he seance during which, he should give him instructions. decided from then on to keep himself free of this Mr. Trung although he did not know these great religious movement. Mr. Le-vˆ an-Trung˘ was mediums, yet accepted their proposition when he then named by the Great Master to replace him at the understood their motives. end of April. An evocatory seance took place. The Great First meeting-places. Master, besides other teachings, announced to Mr. Spiritualistic seances continued more and Trung his great mission in the new religion he was more numerous at individuals’ homes but mainly in going to found to save humanity. meeting-places organized in each of the following

32 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 33

˛

centers: The town of Cho-L˛ on,´ C`an-Giuˆ oc,ˆ Loc-Giang.ˆ influence over spectators, that Caodaism received ˛ ˛ . . . Tan-ˆ D- inh,. Thu-D- uc´ and C`au-Kho.ˆ these mass conversions. The great success was also Two mediums were appointed to each place due to the form of the new worship which had noth- to receive the teachings of the Great Master. The ing contrary to that of the principal religions prac- admission of new members was also decided there. tised in the country. Adherents came in mass, amounting to hundreds of Festival of the Advent of Caodaism. new enrollments at each seance. Since the 10th day of the tenth month Official declaration of the Caodaism. (October 14th, 1926) the propaganda tours were inter- The new religion was very rapidly extended, rupted. Every effort of the leaders was concentrated it was received with much enthusiasm, especially by on the festival of the advent of Caodaism. This took the masses. Anxious to act openly and keep them- place on the 14th, 15th and 16th of the tenth month of

selves in the strictest limits of legality, its leaders the year B´ınh-D`anˆ (November 18, 19, 20, 1926) in the ˛

made an official declaration signed by 28 persons, pagoda Tu-L` ˛ am-Tˆ u. , situated at Go-` Den- (Tay-Ninh).ˆ which they sent in on the 7th of October, 1926 to the The Governor General of Indochina as well as the Governor of Cochinchina. Also enclosed was a list of Governor of Cochinchina and high-placed European signatures of 247 members present at the ceremony and native officials were invited. announcing the official existence of Caodaism. Celebrated with solemnity, this festival gath- Propaganda. ered a considerable number of believers from all the After having made that declaration which provinces of Cochinchina, It also attracted thousands was courteously welcomed by the local Government, of curious come simply to observe. The presence of the leaders of the "Great Way" organized propaganda Captain Monnet, a great French spiritualist, was also missions in the interior. noticed there. These were three, one for the provinces of the It was during this festival the Caodaist sacer- East, one for those of the Center and one for those of docy was instituted and the new religious code was the West. established and promulgated.

In less than two months, over twenty Definite see of Caodaism.

˛

thousand persons among which many native not- The Tu-L` ˛ am-Tˆ u was a buddhist pagoda ˛ ˛ . ˛ ˛

ables, were converted to the new religion. It was on newly built by the Hoa-Th` uong Giac-H´ ai of Cho-Gao ˛ ˛ . . . account of spiritism, and especially to the infinite (Cho-L. on),´ who had allotted it to the new religion to kindness of God who was always manifested at each which he had been converted. But after the festival, invocatory prayer and whose messages had a decisive the buddhist faithful who had furnished funds for the 34 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 35 erection of this temple who had not been consulted Caodaism counted half a million adherents. And in on its transfer, demanded its return. spite of multiplied obstacles sowed in its way, it On the other hand, experience had shown always continued its triumphant walk towards the that that pagoda was too small and that the land on goal that God assigned to it: the regeneration of which it was built was too exiguous to enable them humanity in universal peace. fitly to install the Holy See of the incipient new reli- Sources of the Doctrine of Caodaism. gion, which promised so great a future. l’Inde Illustree´ gives an abridgment of it as On indications of a superior Spirit, the land follows: on which the temporary temple is actually placed was Cao-D- ai` is a symbolic name of the Supreme then chosen and bought to locate the Caodaist Holy Being who, for the third time, is to be revealed in the See. Situated at the village of Long-Thanh` , province of Orient. The opinion of the adherents of the new faith Tay-Ninh,ˆ it is large enough (about 100 hectares) to is that God, adapting his teaching to the progress of meet with actual and future needs. the human spirit, which is more refined than form- The transfer of the Go-` Den- Temple at Long- erly, should this time be manifested by means of Thanh` took place on March 1927. The number of mediums, He being unwilling to grant any mortal the adherents continued to increase considerably. The privilege of founding Caodaism. movement of pilgrims to the new temporary temple This new manifestation of the Supreme Being is worthy of notice: it was by thousands that they arose from the fact that all religion submitted to the were received there daily. authority of a human founder, is opposed to univer- As any other religion at the beginning, Cao- sality, since its prophets rise up against truths pro- daism had also its adversaries whose criticism, often claimed by other Religions towards which they show too passionate, was not always dictated by a suffi- an obvious intolerance. ciently objective spirit. The Caodaist Doctrine is a fusion of the old- However, the caodaist leaders obeying the est religions of the Orient: Buddhism, Taoism and instructions of the Great Master, endeavored to main- Confucianism. tain and improve themselves in the Great Way only In a message transmitted on the 13th of Janu- considering the moral and spiritual good of human- ary, 1927, in the presence of several Frenchmen, Ly-´ ity. It is the only answer which they are allowed Thai-B´ ach,. one of God’s ministers, made clear this against attacks of which they are the object, for every doctrine. We take from it the following lines: caodaist keeps his temper. The holy doctrines of the various religions At last, after four years of existence, are ill-practised. The order and peace of the days of 36 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 37

Yore is effaced. The moral law of humanity is among you to mark out for you the good way. Try to betrayed. For unthinking and sceptical persons, God follow it in order later to have peace of soul; go for- exists in name only. They ignore the fact that in His ward each day with alert step in the love of God. supreme place reigns a Personage, Sovereign Master Unite in love one with another, help one another, this of all events of the universe and all human destinies. is law divine. Formerly, the peoples of the world did not At that moment, when each is condemned to know each other and lacked means of transportation. undergo his purgatory, if he think of his own I then founded, at different epochs, five branches of interests, if he seek to sow misery and suffering, he

the Great Way (D- ai-D- ao). will risk to be drawn into the infernal torment where ˛ . .

1. Nhon-D- ao: Confucianism; the wicked goes to crush his life and soil his soul. ˛ . ˛ 2. Th`an-ˆ D- ao:. Khuong-Thai-C´ ong,ˆ worships of Indeed, Caodaism or D- ai-. D- ao. is the most Genii; simplified religion that exists at present so far as the 3. Thanh-´ D- ao:. Christianity; practises of its worship are concerned; it merely asks 4. Tien-ˆ D- ao:. Taoism; its adherents to address daily prayers to Cao-D- ai,` 5. Phat-ˆ. D- ao:. Buddhism. either at home, or in appointed places; no confession Each based on the usages and customs of the (spiritualistic evocations being delicate and races particu-larly called to practise them. dangerous to handle, are reserved to the sacerdocy), Nowadays, all parts of the world are nor communications. The number of Priests reduced explored: humanity, knowing itself better, aspires to to strict necessity for preaching from time to time, the real peace. But because of the very multiplicity of holy doctrine, exhort the faithful to practise the virtue these religions, men do not always live in harmony. of humanity such as Confucius conceived. If it exist That’s why I decided to unite all in one to bring them but one God, the Supreme Being, it recommends to its back to primitive unity. What is more, the Holy Doc- members to follow pure christian morals or that of trines of these religions have been, through the centu- Confucius, which, actually, do not greatly differ. ries, denatured by the very persons charged with It recommends the veneration of the Superior spreading them to such a point that I now have taken Spirits, who were benefactors of humanity at different the firm resolution to come to you myself to show the epochs; Christ, as well as Buddha Gautama, Confu- true way... cius and different Genii of the Chinese antiquity, are In that same spiritualistic message of the 13th not forgotten in prayers. of January, 1927, Ly-Th´ ai-B´ ach. also said: Dignitaries of Caodaism, on principle, are Dear Brethren, the merciful Christ came forbidden evocations of spirits before the masses of 38 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 39 the faithful in order to avoid becoming professional and abusing the credulity of the mystic crowds. The FUNDAMENTAL billed basket is veiled in the temples. But inspired PRINCIPLES mediums continue to be heard by the faithful. It CONFIRMED IN 1946 would seem then, in my opinion, unjust to declare too quickly that the founders of the Caodaist religion put The Caodaist doctrine tends not only to con- their light under a bushel and reserve to themselves ciliate all the religious convictions, but also to adapt the monopoly of contact with the invisible. It is suffi- itself to all degrees of spiritual evolution. cient for him who practises the religion that he may 1) From a moral point of view, it reminds man rise to acquire the right to a more complete initiation. of his duties toward himself, his family, society, that In some respects, it is the attitude of the Catholic is a broadened family, then toward humanity, the Church toward spiritism. universal family. 2) From a philosophical point of view, it preaches the despising of honors, riches, luxury, in a word, the emancipation from servitudes of matter, to seek, in spirituality, the full quietude of the soul. 3) From the point of view of worship, it recom- mends the adoration of God, the Father of all, and the veneration of Superior Spirits that constitute the occult August Hierarchy. Admitting the national wor- ship of ancestors, it prohibits however meat offerings as well as the use of votive paper. 4) From a spiritualistic point of view, it con- firms, in harmony with other religions and systems of spiritualistic and psychic philosophy, the existence of the soul, its survival of the physical body, its evolu- tion by successive reincarnations, the posthumous consequences of human actions ruled by the law of karma. 5) From the initiates point of view, it communi- cates to those of the adherents who are worthy, 40 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 41 revealed teachings that shall enable them, by a pro- perfume-burner full of ash in which josssticks are cess of spiritual evolution, to accede to ecstasies of fel- burned, and offerings such as fruits in more or less icity. abundance. Adherents. According to another more recent document,

They are of three kinds: I find the members divided into two categories:

˛ ˛

1) Religious: high dignitaries who are con- The thuong-th˛ ua` (superior degree) and the ˛ . strained to lead the life, if not of an ascetic, at least ha-th. ua` (inferior degree). In the first degree are all the entailing certain privations: the works of the flesh are real monks; they may be dignitaries or simple forbidden to them: they keep their wives, but they are adherents. With that title, they are compelled to grow to them no more than sisters; alcohol, meat, fish, are a beard and long hair, to follow a diet of exclusively forbidden to them; they partake exclusively of veget- vegetable food, to abstain from luxury and sexual ables. They are authorized to commune with God and intercourse. Their life, freed from servitudes of the Superior Spirits, but only occasionally. matter, is entirely devoted to the service of religion. 2) Mediums: to the number of twelve, who are The second degree comprises the mass of the somewhat auxiliary, and are not actually monks, but believers who continue to look after their normal are yet compelled to certain rules, certain privations occupations; their religious duty consists in daily in their material life. They continue to take care of practising the worship and observing the rules of con- their daily occupations, in commerce, or industry. duct prescribed by the new Religious Code (Tan-ˆ

They are formally forbidden to practise spiritism, Luatˆ ). These as well as the others are forced to "ngu-˜ .˛ save in the presence of the dignitaries and with their gioi-c´ amˆ´ " (the panchashila), interdictions drawn from invitation after having recited prayers to the Most- the buddhist morals commanding not to kill, to avoid High. cupidity, luxury, gaiety and sin in words. 3) Ordinary members: the mass of believers, Concerning the diet that the members of the whose duties are only to follow the morals and rules second degree must follow, a gradual vegetarianism of behavior indicated by the Directing Committee of is prescribed to them, consisting in abstaining from Caodaism and especially, to prostrate themselves meat a fixed number of days per month. every day before the altar of Cao-D- ai,` either in a spe- So they begin with the "soc,´ vong. ", temporary cial pagoda, or in a newly created meeting-place, or at diet of two days; then successively pass to "luc-trai. ", home before the altar which certain have erected, on diet of six days; and to "thap-traiˆ. " diet of ten days. the throne of which is found the drawing of an eye The Caodaism admits to its fold all men of surrounded with clouds, before ritual candlesticks, a good will without distinction of race, or social rank. 42 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 43

There the simple "danˆ " fraternally rubs elbows with Such is, in all its simplicity, the daily worship ˛ ˛ the "d-oc-phˆ´ u-su´ ". rite. As for the divine services celebrated in the tem- Caodaist Worship. ples on great ceremonial days, we shall observe a

This is practised every day, in places of meet- more elaborate ritual.

˛ ing as in private homes, in four hours (tu-th´ ˛ oi` ): 6 a.m., How to pray to Cao-D- ai.` noon, 6 p.m., and midnight. Prostrated before the I ask of you, my Brethren, to pray and sing divine altar, in the leap of the soul toward the the praises of Him who gives life, strength, beauty

Supreme Being, we begin by fulfilling the rite of the and what is still better: wisdom that makes you like ˛

offering of incense (niem-hˆ. uong˛ ). Then comes that of unto him. I ask of you, my brethren, to sing, pray the offering of prayers (khai-kinh), the form of which and put yourselves in order. may be translated as follows: Position of order standing in the station of Above the ocean of human pain in which montionless waiting... I ask you to await the benefac- immensity is lost between sky and sea, already the tions of the Spirit. Day-Star points to the East. Position of order standing in the gesture of Laotze, the Great Teacher had the merit of the first step toward the Light... I ask you to walk aiding our human salvation. toward the Light. The Three Religions teach as base of their doc- Position of order seated in waiting and inner trine the practise of good and of virtue. meditation... I ask you to meditate, pray and wait. Confucius the Sage has clearly traced the path of I ask you, my Brethren, to pray, inwardly the Middle Way. singing the praises of Him who gives life. Buddha the Merciful preached devotion and char- The life of the body to run to the help for ity. those who have need of you. The Taoist doctrine ordained the worship of truth The life of the heart to love all men, all and character discipline. beings, to love all life, all divine life, angelic, human, Tis thus that one trunk gave birth to three animal, vegetable, mineral and atomic life. I ask you similar branches. to love earth, water, fire, air, the pebbles of the road Let him who can penetrate truth so pro- and the stars of the heavens. found, purify his heart for the recital of holy prayers. Position of order in repose. That of rest These formalities ended, we entone in chorus which must be an action of grace. a hymn to the glory of God, then three in honor of the Immobility is an order, a position of action, a Holy-Three: Confucius, Laotze, and Buddha. prayer, a song toward Him who gives Life, Strength, 44 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 45

Beauty and what is more, Wisdom. family, we also have duties of goodness toward My Brethren, My Sisters, I ask you to pray animals who also are our brethren behind us in the and sing the praises of Him who gives life. way of evolution. We must then take care of those I bring flowers of five colors. I bring flowers. destined to our service, treat them with gentleness The white lily of innocence, candid, united and avoid making them suffer needlessly. All animal with God. life must be respected as much as possible: for in As all colors are found in the white of the harming it, we delay the evolution of the victim. So faith, so all beliefs are of one. all caodaists conscious of their duties will submit to a The blue of the fields of heavenly hope. The vegetarian diet to avoid being party to multiple blue of the heavens which induces the upward look. crimes daily committed to the pre-judice of his infe- In divine hope are all human ideals. rior brethren. The red rose of bleeding love, of love cruci- "Between pity toward beasts and kindness of fied, the red rose of charity. soul", said Schopenhauer, "there is a close link: we The rose that carries the cross. may say without hesitating, that when an individual The cross that carries the rose. Rose-Cross. is cruel toward beasts, he will not be a just man". The yellow sun-flower, the gold sun-flower, 3) Goodness toward plants. the sun-flower of silent speech. Nobody is ignorant of the services rendered The gold of heaven falls on the earth. us by all kinds of trees. Silent benefactors of man, not The mauve flower, the violet of secret humili- blaming either his ungratefulness, or his cruelty, they ties. The violet made of red love and blue hope. The shelter, with their shade, all who come and sit at their violet of morning, but also of secret power. feet, a tired traveller as well as a wicked wood- The mauve color of him who knows truth. pharmacy cutter. The sandal-wood, it is said, per- Universal Love. fumes the axe that strikes it. Those simple words might sum up the essen- Plans constitute a true natural pharmacy tial tendency of Caodaism. from whence is drawn all proper panacea to heal The practical applications that come from it every desease. How many lessons of goodness and concern: sacrifice can we draw from it for our profit! 1) Human brotherhood. The recent scientific experiments of Sir Bose, 2) Kindness toward animals. a scholar of India, have shown that plants live much For we are entrusted with duties of fraternity like man, that some, particularly sensitive ones, pos- toward men who are our Brothers in the universal sess a nervous system more sensitive than ours to 46 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 47 physical impressions. What think we then of him who who stand in need. Bearing all affronts, from what- amuses himself by chopping a branch from a tree or ever source, he remains without hatred among them uprooting a plant? If the necessities of material life who hate him, ever faithful to the Great Way, digni- oblige us to use vegetables, the goodness we owe tary or simple believer, he must impose upon himself these "candidates for animality" recommends us the difficult task of working for souls, to instill into never to mutilate, nor needlessly destroy them. them the teachings of Cao-D- ai,` based on the love of 4) Service to one´s neighbour (that completes good and the worship of truth. If by dint of proclaim- the duty of the human fraternity). ing truth, he does not succeed in convincing unbeliev- What sweetness, what charm, nature in its ers, at least he will shake them a little. Until doubts solitude, offers him who lives the quiet, secluded life. subsided in their souls, time will accomplish the rest. Apart from the world whose temptations attract him It is in setting himself to the help and salva- no more in the quietness of his seclusion, he purifies tion of others that he works for his own, for the acts his life, calms his passions and raises his thoughts of love and chanty, by a just return, constitute his toward the Supreme Being. Then, in the rapture of only viaticum in his wanderings toward supreme contemplation, where is revealed the feeling of Divin- happiness. Since the service of one´s neighbour is one ity, he feels at last his heavenly origin. of the indispensable conditions of his own salvation, Such is the inner life led by Superior Men it is in his interest to apply himself to it with as much endowed with great faculties when, their terrestrial zeal as his religious earnestness and his moral mission fulfilled, they aspire to spiritual well-being. advancement enable him. Without pretending to But before reaching that high stage of human pilgrim- place himself as a preacher, he must, however, partic- age, the traveller of the long road, while seeking to ularly incite his coreligionists to the practise of good progress, must help those who feel their way behind and virtue. He can reach it, not by vain speeches, but him. by practising what he preaches and conforming his So the caodaist, anxious to act according to life to the doctrine he professes. If at times he fails in his principles of humanity, must, in every cir- that task by slipping from the way that was traced for cumstance, devote himself to the service of his neigh- him by the Great Master, it is but just that we blame bour. Impelled by a desire to help his fellowmen, he his weakness or his backsliding and not the teachings holds himself in readiness to bring, either by his which he is charged to spread which constitute - may words, or by his acts, a balm to moral and social we repeat? - an ideal of peace by fraternal love. miseries. And, in his aspiration toward merciful love, There may be, in Caodaism as well as in all he always holds out the same helpful hand to those other existing religions, hypocrites and believers 48 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 49 whose faith is not strong enough to resist the tempta- be refused by any even somewhat advanced mind. tions of the Spirit of Evil. These are the unhealthy ele- As in all epochs, there was a way opened ments that dishonor the religion to which they toward the Light from above, just as in every place is belong, and of which the body must be purged. found erected a mystic or material temple to invite What Caodaism Brings. the blessing of the Cause of causes and to try to Caodaism comes to unveil truth and confirm elevate microcosmic man toward the macrocosmic all. the goal of the creation of man. Religions everywhere, in all times, the living Caodaism gives to its followers a conscious- religions of to-day: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, ness of his power when the spirit is united with the Christianity, and Islamism, are adapted and adapt Spirit. one another to the time and place of their formation Cao-D- ai` comes toward man hindered in his and development. It is aquatic environment that gives walk toward the light and shows him that human rea- a fish its form. It is the attraction of Heaven that son will triumph over all obstacles, all misunder- makes man walk erect. standings. Caodaism, born in Indochina, is destined for Cao-D- ai` delivers from hinderances. the universe, since the message it brings is found Caodaism is then in harmony with the free already in all religion. man who freely believes that the human spirit will The multiplicity of religions is not an obstacle one day be conscious of its own power. to harmony if a subtile but real bond forms a point of But Cao-D- ai` guards the free man from the contact for them, That link, Caodaism brings to him spirit of pride, for he says that all inner light comes who will listen without prejudice, with all sincerity, from the superior light. Light comes only from light. fraternity, to its message: Life, Love, Truth. The Light here below proceeds from the light Caodaism, Religion and Philosophy. above. Caodaism is a valuable religion that unites its Human light proceeds from divine light. members one with another, that unites the incarnate Predestination of Caodaism. of this time, in all places, with the disincarnate of the Caodaism is predestined to become not only past and that prepares for future reincarnations. Cao- in the Far-East but in all the universe, a synthesis of daism makes its own the comtist formula: "The dead religions, a supertheosophy freed from artificial theo- necessarily and more and more govern the living". But, sophy. Caodaism does not seek for religious transcen- for it, the dead are really and always living. dence, but hopes for and tends toward a harmony of The caodaist doctrine is a valuable philoso- beliefs and philosophies. None of its principles may phy that is set forth, demonstrated, discussed and 50 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 51 affirmed with sincerity, with rationalism as well as in in Cao-D- ai.` mysticism. Rationalism is not necessarily a sys- KY` = God is eternal in all time and at all tematic atheism. time. The present moment is always His time, the There is only one God, what is his Name? epoch of God. There is only one God, first Cause, principle Cao-D- ai` manifests Himself in the three

of all that exists. There is one God worshipped, ven- periods of the˛ past, present and future. erated, prayed to under diverse names at every point PHOˆ = sacrifice, fast, anticipation, prefigura- of the globe. There is only one God. tion of that which is to come, of that which is come. Cao-D- ai,` such is the name that the one and The fast is an expectation of celestial food, the divine total God has taken to manifest himself in Vietnam Word. All holy men and wise feed on the Word. Thus and to indicate to the world the new religion in which the sage, as the monk, expects through fasting and men are certain to find Him. abstinence from what is terrestrial to feed on what is Cao-D- ai,` such is the name of the unique God celestial. who is in all the present and past names man gave to In the fast thou shalt find Cao-D- ai.` God or under which God manifested himself to man. D- Oˆ. = Thus cometh deliverance as shall come Cao-D- ai,` such is the name. the resurrection. Cao-D- ai.` Thus cometh judgment and pardon. Cao-D- ai` is the most high Palace. It is the man- So is manifested Cao-D- ai` to pardon and to ifestation of the Ensoph in Kether. love. ˛ Cao-D- ai` is a roofless tower on the platform of Tam-Ky` Pho-ˆ D- oˆ. which is written "He that man cannot name" by any QUAN-AMˆ BO-T`ˆ AT´ human words. Ensoph of the Cabahsts, Iod, He, Van, Secret feminity of a mysterious Goddess who He of the Israelites. gives strength to God. Cao-D- ai` serves as the name of God. It is one God is One and the Goddess contains Him. of numerous names of the One-God whose name can She is One and all God is manifested in Her. only be one of the aspects, while the Being is infinite. Quan-Amˆ B`o-Tˆ at.´ By the triple-sign, the tri-um God is always SECRET DIVINITY, tabernacle of God and God- shown on the summits. God is higher than any sum- Thyself in thy feminine expression. mit, broader than any space, more enduring than all Quan-Amˆ B`o-Tˆ at´ time. manifests herself in TAM = Let us worship three times God-One Cao-D- ai` 52 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 53

as Mary at Golgotha. him, impel him to reprehensible acts thai may lead Golgotha = bald mount = roofless tower. On the him to perdition. heights God is manifested. Therefore our Great Master has expressly Five interdictions. forbidden us to drink alcohol. 1) Not to kill living beings (because of the 4) No to be tempted by luxury (which attracts a spark of life, the center of consciousness that is in cruel karma); them). 5) Not to sin by word: 2) Not to covet (in order to avoid the fall into Revelation teaches us that God appoints a materialism through the needs of possession and guardian-angel to the care of each human life. That domination). Such is the case of existing society in spirit, with a rigid impartiality, is, by virtue of his which everything seems bound to stir up pride and mission, ceaselessly in relation with the perfect Beings the craving for riches. of Superior Hierarchies to render, before the Counsel 3) Not to practise high living: of Lords of Karma (Toa` Phan-X´ et´ ) an account as full as Don’t eat the bodies of beasts (vegetarianism); possible of all our good or ill deeds. Therefore the Don’t drink alcohol (because of its noxious effects account of all human acts, constituted in merits and on the physical body and the spirit). dements, is unavoidably settled by the Great Karmic Noxious effects of alcohol on the perispirit: Law. Further, that Spirit appointed to our care also The perispirit, said we, interpenetrates the has a mission to teach us from his inspirations. Men, physical body and envelopes it in its fluids. Its vital in their poor and insufficient language, call him con- center is in the brain and its astral center, on the fon- science. Now, before we seek to deceive others by our tanelle (1). (It is on the latter center that the Spiritual Pro- lies, we must already have deceived our conscience, tector (Ho-Phˆ. ap)´ remains posted to watch over the Ego of that is to say our guardian-angel. He records not only an ascete till the day when he reaches complete initiation). all our actions, but also our words, though they be Now, the exciting effect of alcohol, which not yet expressed in acts. For, to the eyes of the Lords spreads to the brain, congesting it, provoking trou- of Karma, the sins of the tongue, as sins, are as pun- bles in the perispirit, troubles which, to the great pre- ishable as those arising from an overt fact. judice of the ascetic life, destroy the mystic harmony So must we observe the greatest circumspec- that is established in the believer. Moreover, during tion in our speech as in our acts.

those perispiritual afflictions, he leaves the door open ______

˛ (the astral center) to perverse Spirits who, taking pos- (1) Ne-hˆ uon-cung`˛ in Vietnamese: Brahma-randhra in session of his body and exercising their control over Sancrit. 54 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 55

Creation of the World. Caodaism believes in Karma, and Samara, its conse- The creation of the world is always real and quence. The caodaists frankly declare to bring noth- this religious truth is propagated from century to cen- ing new on that point. tury according to the times, in harmony or against All volition (thought, word, or act) is a cause opposition. The creation of the human spirit is that bears in it its effect: always actual and its elevation is constant. He who The cause is rigorously bound to its effects, does not evolve, involutes and falls again into matter. which is somehow its transformation, its material The spirit is materialized, incarnate to live interpretation. That interpretation is so exact that the among us, but returns to the Spirit, training and puri- scrutiny of the present incarnation of an entity should fying us by him. Many messengers of the Spirit have be sufficient to inform us at the same time of its past come: Krishna, Shakyamuni, Confucius. Elsewhere: and future. The present incarnation of the entity with Hermes and Pythagoras, Socrates and Plato. that alternation of joys and annoyances was deter- All the messengers have had their disciples: mined by the actions that it had fulfilled itself in the The Essenes, the Gnostics, the Templars, the Rosecru- course of its anterior lives. Likewise, from now on, its cians and a great many others in the Occident and in deeds determine the conditions of its future reincar- the Orient. Nowadays, in the Far-East: the Caodaists. nation. French spiritualistic messages. The effect is separated from the cause by a Those who are received most frequently by time that may be long or short. If that interval is the Caodaist mediums emanate, it is said, from Allan short, the effect is immediate and the sinner sees the Kardec, Leon Denis, Camille Flammarion, Descartes, expiation accomplished before his eyes. If it is long, it Joan of Arc, Chateaubriand, etc... and especially Victor is because the sinner is benefitting for a time from the Hugo and the Hugo family. Several leaders of Caoda- happy effect of good deeds accomplished at some ism, the Vietnamese pretend, are but the reincarna- time in the past, and that still lasts. But as soon as that tion of several Hugos. Several curious facts seem to metapsychic immunization is ended, the karmic law make it believable. In certain temples, is placed the will have full play. In many cases, the fall incident to portrait of Victor Hugo. it is sudden, thus explaining the quick decadence of Reincarnation in Caodaism. such and such a family, a dynasty or a race (Revue Being connected with Buddhism, Taoism, Caodaiste, March, 1933). Confucianism, and I think I may affirm without fear The free-will of man is limited by the karmic or successful contradiction: with Kardecism (Allan. effects of the anterior lives, man being the real artisan Kardec being considered as a religious genius), of his own destiny, affirm the Caodaists. The practise 56 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 57 of good enables the entity to get rid progressively of have seen many aged 13 or 14 years, renounce a meat its karma. "To know himself, said Ngo-vˆ an-Chi˘ eu,ˆ the diet to eat vegetables and rice once a day. We have first Caodaist, lately disincarnated, the believer must seen others who ate only fruits. These facts of a new wish himself unhappinesses." order astonished the bonzes themselves, who con- Caodaism also believes in the apparition of a fessed that even among them very few practise a true new man, thus uniting either with Professor Pietro vegetarianism. Ubaldi (Zeitschrift fur me-tapsychische Forschung), April Then comes the unexpected expansion of cer- 29 th, 1933), who believes that man in the future will tain faculties such as memory, intelligence, intuition be a natural medium, a new type of sensitive being, among persons who have received no instruction. or with our friends the theosophists, who already per- Since its creation the "Revue Caodaiste" has ceive the new type of man in formation. drawn our attention to some cases of reincarnation in Experience has shown that at each coming of Vietnam. We should be very happy to see our cao- the Messiah, whether He bears the name of Laotze, daist brethren adopt for their inquiries and control Buddha, or Christ, humanity is as it were awakened the scientific precision necessary to the Occident from its torpor. A stream of occult forces circulating which wants proof more than witness of a moral everywhere helps him to understand mysteries here- nature. They would render us an immense service on tofore incomprehensible; a sudden and marvellous that point: One case of minutely controlled reincarna- development of such faculties as intuition, memory, tion would subdue at a stroke the objections current intelligence, clairvoyance, empowers the believers to and a hundred times heard against reincarnation. The accede to the way that is now open. Touched by the "Revue Caodaiste" has already undertaken such and we universal fluid, which eomes near the Earth only after congratulate them upon it. thousands of centuries, the faithful easily understands Each of us, says Caodaism, before being rein- the divine teachings and, blazing the trail, some day carnated, takes a little "chao´ lu´ " (soup of forgetting). If he will succeed in being absorbed in God. he takes much (when he has many sins and he has Since the appearance of Caodaism, whose much to forget), he does not remember his previous founder is the Supreme Being, phenomena of that life. If he takes a little (when he reaches one of his last kind were noticed somewhat everywhere in Cochin- reincarnations and he needs no longer blush at grievi- china. The most surprising is the integral vegetarian- ous faults), he is able by introspection, intuition, and ism practised without trouble by the members of all illumination, to remember incidents of preceding sexes and ages. We have seen many children of four incarnations. But it is the privilege of an elite of hum- or five, who could not bear a dish of fish or meat. We ble and silent meditative men and sages whom the 58 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 59 world ignores. *** CAODAISM Our era of failure, chaos, hate, thirst for AND riches, speaks readily of tax reform, treaty revision, VICTOR HUGO frontier changes, revision of customs duties, etc... But it forgets a reform which is little spoken of, but which Religio, the Rivista di Studi Religiosi under the is the key to reform of all reforms. direction of Ernest Buonainti, in Rome, has also con- Are we beginning to reform our conscience? secrated an article to Caodaism. Mr. G. Mingiano It is because Caodaism understood this writes (p. 478): necessity and attempted that reform of conscience Victor Hugo and the Caodaists: One of my that so many black forces in Asia are raised against it. friends who is travelling in the Far-East, writes me Powerful synthesis of the Asiatic religions; a link with from Sai-G` on:` Do you know that Victor Hugo has the Christianity of Christ; a rallying of psychic and been deified? It is by a sect of Cochinchina, called ˛ spiritualistic fact, basis of modern occidental spiritual- D- ai-. D- ao. Tam-Ky` Pho-ˆ D- o,ˆ. that has had the strange ism; a cry of love toward the Unknown, the Infinite, dea to attribute to the great French poet divine the Universal Peace and the Fraternity of peoples; honours. What do you think about it? While in greetings to thee, Cao-D- ai,` greetings to you, cao- France a referendum was called to find the worthiest daists, distant brethren of Vietnam, which we now manner of celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Vic- receive and bless in precept and example. Does at last tor Hugo, with ceremonies proceeding at the old Europe dare overthrow those values that necessi- Pantheon, at the Sofbonne, at Guernesey, all kept in tate the advent of a new day? We believe so, and the strict banality of official honours, here is a reli- therefore we say thanks! to our caodaist brethren of gious sect of Cochinchina which confers on the Poet Indochina. divine honours and inscribes his name in the Legion of the Genii. So a man was called to honours of the altar (or almost), that, in his famous will, denied all value and religious content to constituted churches and accepted only the prayer of the humble. Let us give to the gesture of the Caodaists its true proportion: the glorification of human genius understood as an expression of the divine light; the glorification of Poetry, understood as a human 60 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 61 expression of the divine harmony. A form of glorifica- What does it matter, really, whether a spirit tion that is naturally framed in the fundamental con- be actually that of Fenelon or not? If he speaks noth- ceptions of that new religious confession which, in ing but good, and talks like Fenelon himself, he is a less than ten years of life, has been able to gather good Spirit; the name by which he is made known is nearly a million adherents. of minor importance, and often is only a means of fix- I knew in Paris, toward the end of 1931, a ing our ideas. student from Phnom-Penh, who was in attendance at Allan Kardec the Sorbonne. He was a caodaist. I learned from him Cited by Rene´ Sudre ˛ that the D- ai-. D- ao. Tam-Ky` Pho-ˆ D- o,ˆ. - which means pre- Know that all have known His law, His end, cisely Caodaism - was founded in November 1925 His way; that stars and distances all hear Him; that all and represents a synthesis of the three great Oriental is conscious in creation; and that the ear can have His religions; Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism, vision; for things and beings have their dialogue. which united with Christianity and the worship of What the Shadow’s Mouth said. genii, represent the five great ways that Cao-D- ai` (the Victor Hugo, Jersey, 1855. Supreme Being) opened to humanity for their Victor Hugo was during his lifetime a development and spiritual evolution. As we see Islam practising spiritualist, he communicated by means of does not find place among the ways that lead to the a table and automatic writing. His desire while living Most-High. Christ, on the contrary, is considered by was that he might appear to his friends after death. the caodaists as an Envoy of the Lord to a part of Therefore the Hugo messages are more easily humanity, to guide them along the way to perfection, "authenticated" than those of a Fenelon (to cite the a way adequate to their capacity for understanding example of Allan Kardec) or of any others. spiritual values. Moreover, the solemnity of the message that The sense of profound veneration with which I am going to reproduce here, the eminent quality of the young Indochinese student pronounced the name the interpellator, postulate in favour of authenticity. of Christ, the respect with which he told me Christian Here is then the spiritualistic message attri-

rites of which he knew the occult signification, were buted to the Spirit of Victor Hugo or Nguyet-Tˆ amˆ ˛ ˛ . for me, I confess, the highest, the most efficacious les- Chon-Nhon, in the seance of the 20th of April, 1930, son of tolerance, at the same time an example of true at 1 o´clock in the morning. fraternity in a Superior Being, who, in spite of the Ho-Phˆ. ap:´ I wish to be instructed regarding diversity of names with which men invoke him, the origin of our Master and his Power. changes not at all His face of shining love. It is not easy to know this mystery, 62 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 63

The eternal searching of the question is not clear. Through purgatories, beginning at the rank of the It is possible there are, in my opinion, blessed, Other universes than ours in the infinite. The land will be long becoming the land of the gods. They would be more or less enormous, If one would know the origin of our Master, But life and their beings would have the same form. He must be with him so as to penetrate it. One of these would be more advanced. No spirit has a clear opinion, From the point of view of spirits and humanity. Buddha himself only suppositions. At one stage, they should much resemble ours, Do not take my instructions as important. With progress they could become apostles. I only repeat what the spirits think. In all the heavens, Beauty reigns, Let us suppose that the creator, in his beginnings, Its beings possess much of divinity. In reality lived in one of these universes, Peace and harmony rule these earths, His sipint also had to make a long ascent; Their creatures know not the word "War". From matter, He became man, then a sage, Nothing is relative, all is absolute; He passed through the grades of the spirit class; Great souls vie with each other in virtue. And entered at last into the mystery of Creation. All production is science and wisdom. Through his successive lives, He possesses a power, Soul-power is master of human weakness. That has made Him Master of Wisdom and Science; These latter worlds live without law, He surrounds Himself with the best of the spirits; Union is made under faith divine. Which make up His court of servants and friends. Death will be vanquished by uplifted conscience. As soon as His heaven had power enough, There is no difference between living and dead. He rode with His train through infinity. The love of all beings is published everywhere. Ho-Phˆ. ap:´ He has, then, a heaven of his own? Souls and men are all in holiness. Yes, each of us has a domain set apart. There is, here, a certain world of ours, That He makes with his spiritual force. Where this kind of life is fruitful. Souls and spirits that proceed from our karmic state, You may, one day, appreciate its value, Thus form our heaven and make our republic. Then our world has passed to the higher degree. Those who people it are scarcely faithful, Ho-Phˆ. ap:´ When will the earth have these Many among us come from our original sin. benefits. To the extent that one neglects the secrets of purifica- In order that you may be conscious of your merit, tion I will make use of a spirit expression. He opens the heavens to these terrible demons, 64 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 65

From which comes our Satan, the great devil. Such vitality has a power If we search for the truth and not fables, Of giving the spirits both death and life. He surely comes from the cortege divine What marvels are already shown us? Which our Creator was unable to make perfectly holy. What mysteries are further reserved for us? It is the rule that our nearest betray us, All that comes from the hand of our Master, Through jealousy, envy, or pure caprice. It is difficult for us to know. You have, Ho-Phˆ. ap,´ a cramp in your hand, This divinely fed fire, expanded, Let us put off our talk till to-morrow. Casts its nebuli afar to the infinite. I continue my discussion of Genesis, In all the universe this fire is sown. Respecting that which will please you. It is renewed as quickly as decomposed. Once on a time in a shadowy place, These nebuh grow in the form of suns; Still, stagnant, peaceful, unmoving, Creating worlds in all their details, In a gas neither vapor nor liquid, Which the consciousness of God and His light animate. Slept sommolent germs and lethargic; And the weakest of beings have penetrated all. Envelopped at last in a frightful cold, The spirit divine is everywhere spread. No creature lived, no matter germinated. All that have life proceed from this All. Ho-Phˆ. ap:´ Is this the nature of the water spo- Of the fluids emanating from the light divine, ken of in the christian Genesis? The most impure are changed into stone, Yes, it is this form of gas which is called hydrogen, Into earth, into vegetables, animals and flesh. More or less dense, which makes the purest part. The most dense into air, and the pure to ether. Say that the Spirit of God swam above the waters. Intellect is thus given to all creatures. It is in this sense that the word must be understood. According to their state, a dose more or less pure. With its star made up of light, Soul is thus created, as for the body It animates by its heat inert matter. Tis vitality that determines its lot. A layer of oxygen is produced, goes into action. The rest you have understood I stop here. The contact of gases makes an explosion; Ho-Phˆ. ap:´ Pardon, if all comes from our Mas- Divine fire is born, and holy water is formed, ter, all must be perfect. Why then do we observe Under the effect of the two elements, all is imperfection in nature? transformed. What are these imperfections? From burned matter was formed gas, from burned gas May I give you some explanations? Were produced fluids, pure fluids are vitality. Ho-Phˆ. ap:´ The wicknedness and uselessness 66 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 67 of beings, as well as men, animals, and vegetables. The result is learning self-knowing. Their morals cannot be reasonably appreciated. And then knowing, through conscience, the man that Nothing is wicked or useless in nature. should be. To be preserved, there must be nourishment. The difference in characters is right; The Good Lord ardently loves His children, Tis an aid in making comparisons. In His great love, He finds them the means. Make room for great tolerance in your studies. For their progress, He creates for them suffering. Class the spirits according to their aptitude. They must also have means of defence. Simply separate those who are human Have you seen in this world a man truly pious? From those already a little divine. Though they be wicked to us, they are useful to them! Give to the leaders the best example, How did our great sages become so? Teach by all methods the unfaithful, What do the pages of human history contain? Do not detest them for their infamy A fierce struggle between the weak and the strong, And think only of the salvation of their souls! The strongest are often the greatest. Love always in order to give to humanity The opposition of the two gives the upward march These two verities: Love and Eternity. Of ideas and wise realizations. Ho-Phˆ. ap:´ The Father and the Master are dif- Our dear world is purely relative; ferent. Why does our Father take also the title of Mas- Wicked and useless are only qualifications. ter. On the globe, each of us has a place; He is at the same time Father and Master, The worlds of other heavens are but classes. For from Him comes all of our being. The universe is therefore a school for the spirits. He nourishes our bodies with that which is good Who attend it for erudite study. And makes up our spirit of what is divine. Those who fail in their efforts, In Him all is science and wisdom; Must repeat the same classes, and study their lessons Progress of soul is his unceasing work, again. Vile materials are jewels in His eyes All spirits hope to read the eternal book Vile spirits, He makes into Gods. That holds the secret that can make them immortal. His law is love, His power is justice. The goal is achieving our rude career; He knows but the virtue, and none of the vice. Which takes time, conditions, and manners. Father: He gives to His children vitality. From the material world to divinity pure Master; He bestows on them His own divinity. Is eternity´s road to be taken. 68 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 69

bound to any sacrament: freedom of conscience is WHAT ARE sovereign. The institution lives and prospers, not of THE CAODAISTS? the forced will of its adherents, but of their free con- sent, their spontaneous and voluntary adhesion. As a In Religio, la Ravista di Studi Religiosi, Mr. G. result, no anathema greets or follows him who Mingiano writes: decides to try another way. The prayer of all, on the "The caodaists are divided, into two contrary, renders his new effort easier. And that, categories" The first one comprises all the ecclesiasts, because the caodaists not only recognize, but feel that from the "pontife maximum" to the last novice, all the terrestrial life, the life in time and space, is a trial, bound to a severe diet of chastity, poverty and frugal- a test, an experiment, that each one must realize in ity. (They live exclusively on vegetables and fruits) order to make a step forward on the way of Cao-D- ai,` rigorously observed. The hierarchy is on an initiatic the Most-High. And each one has the right to choose basis and comprises seven grades of initiation: The his way. The search for riches, the conquest and highest, that of "eldest brethren", has the exclusive extension of material power, are condemned by the privilege to communicate with the "messengers of caodaists, because for them too, the "kingdom of God God", high spirits of light from whom they receive is not of this world". But it is at the same time a duty energy, teaching and counsel. and a right to gain economic solidarity and to be able In the second category, is all the mass of the to give moral and material assistance. This is the faithful, which, besides buddhist duties, must observe source of the second original aspect of caodaism: humility, honesty, respect of authority, wherever From the civil point of view or rather for its social found, and at last, obedience to religious authorities. action, caodaism has special institutions in crafts, Worship consists only in common prayers to which teaching, outside relations agriculture, etc... to inten- the faithful are convoked before an altar, on which is sify its work of social welfare, coordinated and effica- placed a great transparent sphere containing the cious. sacred fire. On the sphere, a triangle, symbol of per- The review Religio follows this article of Mr. fection and composition of divine energies in the tri- G. Mingiano with these lines: "Oriental wisdom, that angle, the earnest eye of the Eternal. marvellously shields it". In this religion, two aspects are, it seems to Pai-Te-Tien was a Chinese poet. Being gover- me, most original: nor of a district, he paid a visit to a sage, a great disci- The first is this: To become a caodaist, one ple of the ZEN sect, who had chosen his dwelling in needs make no profession of faith, he need not be the branches of the tree. Pai seeing him, cried; "What 70 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 71 a perilous dwelling is this tree!" To which the sage Message of Wisdom. replied: "Yours is much more perilous than mine". You kill one another, disputing the hills, the Then follows this dialogue: rivers, the lands, and the seas. You kill each other for I am governor of the district. I don’t see what possession of that which was created by the One in risk I am running! Three, the Three in One, though you are His children, Then, you don’t know yourself! What peril and He is Creator of all. greater than the passions that burn you and your Ambitious, selfish, wicked, you close your troubled spirit? purses, and in them shut up your hearts. How will What is the teaching of buddhism? you love one another, for the love of the One in Don’t do evil; practise good! But that, a child Three, the Three in One? of three years knows. Yes, a child of three years To preach peace, there must be love for all men. knows it, but an old man of 80 years such as I To practise concord, pardon of all to all. succeeds with difficulty in applying it. What is the highest nobleness? Han-Shan, a poet, was a pure fool, who came What is the highest superiority? to the monastery Kuoch’ing to gather the left-overs of What is the highest origin? meals and feed on them. The monks laughed at him All men are sons of God. So God was called: the as a poor, innocent and harmless fool. One day, in his Son of Man. hermitage, Han-Shan exclaimed: I think of all those You knock at the door of wisdom. A voice past years during which I quietly came to Kuoch’ing, demands: Who is there? where everybody seeing me said: "Han-Shan is a You answer: It is I. And the door opens not. fool". At present, I think: Am I foolish? I don’t You knock at the door of wisdom, a voice succeed in solving the problem, not knowing myself. demands: Who is there? And then, how can others understand me better than And you answer again: I. Do not be astonished if myself? the door does not open. Be man not fond of talk, in order to find God You knock at the door of wisdom, a voice in the silence. Pray, the heart full of desire, but demands: Who is there? without uttering a word. God shall provide thee with You hesitate but answer: Thou. At last, the door thy needs and hear thy voice, and welcome thy offer- opens, and you enter into wisdom. ing. As well as in a desert the water of which is so sweet to him who burns with thirst, divinity is shut to him who speaks, open to him who keeps silence. 72 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 73

Religions held in London, to which Mr. Gabriel CAODAISM Gobron, instructor of Caodaism in France, partici- AT THE pated on invitation of the Holy See of Tay-Ninh,ˆ Cao- INTERNATIONAL daism is recognized as the most tolerant religion in CONGRESSES the world. Before a large attendance composed of representatives of all the Great World Religions and We were charged by the Holy See of Tay-ˆ members of the International Press, the French Cao- Ninh (South Vietnam) to represent Caodaism at vari- daist delegate declared: "Caodaism is the very experi- ous International Congresses: ence of the reconciliation of races and peoples for 1) International Spiritualistic Congress of Bar- which you are gathered in this place. Caodaism or celona (1934). Reformed Buddhism is certainly a living experience We read in the Revue Spirite d’Octobre 1934 (p. of union and religious unity. Wild applause greeted 505), in the series of resolutions adopted unani- the peroration." mously. 3) International Spiritualistic Congress of Glas- Eighth Caodaist Movement: On the motion of gow (1937). Mr. Gabriel Gobron, instructor in France of Caodaism L’Annam Nouveau (November 14 th, 1937) (or Reformed Buddhism, or Vietnamese spiritism), published this echo: the 5th International Spiritualistic Congress held at At the proposal of Mr. Gabriel Gobron, Barcelona (1st to 10th of September, 1934) very instructor in France of Caodaism or Vietnamese Spiri- respectfully begs the French Government to be wil- tualism, the 6 th International Spiritualistic Congress ling - remembering the solemn promises made in meeting in Glasgow (Sept. 3, 1937), after the fifth Spir- March 1933 in the French Parliament by President itualistic Congress of Barcelona, hopes that the Viet- Sarraut, then Minister for the Colonies - to establish namese Spiritualists may enjoy in all the countries of the on behalf of the Caodaists a statute as liberal as that Indochinese Union the same liberties of conscience and enjoyed by the Vietnamese converted to Christianity worship as protestant and catholic Vietnamese, be they sub- or those remaining faithful to other buddhist sects in jects, proteges, Eurasians or foreigners. the countries of the Indochina Union. The wish expressed by the International Spir- 2) World Congress of Religions, London (1936). itualistic Congress of Barcelona has already inau- Le Cygne (September 20 th, 1936) publishes gurated a more liberal period for the Caodaists or this echo: Vietnamese Spiritualists. At the last International Congress of That wish presented and discussed in the 74 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 75

Philosophical Section of the Congress, was then Buddhist, Protestant, Mohammedan, Hindu, even adopted by acclamation at the popular meeting held interrupting the discussions sometimes outside of the at Mc Lellan Galleries on the 9th of September, 1937. agenda: "How to make the fraternal spirit reign over 4) World Congress of Beliefs in Paris (1939). the world through the concourse of religions?" Let us extract this testimony from the Revue The official support given to the Congress Spirits (Paris Sept. 8): (Messrs. Champetier de Ribes and Georges Mandel), The "World Congress of Faiths" which was its reception in the Sorbonne by the Rector Roussy, formerly held in London, Oxford, Cambridge, took with participation of French colonials (one General of place this year in Paris, our colleague Gabriel Gobron the House of the Bey of Tunis, one Syrian Adminis- was delegated by the Caodaists or Reformed Bud- trator, etc...), of a somewhat gaudy "French Commit- dhists of Indochina to attend it. The rebukes he tees", added to the prestige of those solemn sessions invoked on the Congress of London may be related at the Richelieu amphitheatre on the 2nd of July, 1939. here and even enlarged: The organizers, almost all The best of the Congress - in spite of narrow English, address themselves to the historic Religions, limitations fixed by itself and legitimate reserve - was which by their long history proved their fecundity its will to claim the rights of the individual, now so (the very words of Mr. Lacombe, Sept. 10, 1939) and mocked in all the totalitarian regimes. A resolution then exclude new religions, new doctrines, and still recalling the dictators to greater humanity was more- more, syncretic religions such as Caodaism: a close over adopted at the end of the Congress, and the fusion of Buddhist, Christian, Taoist, Confucianist question of refugees seems bound to be inscribed in and Mohamrnedan beliefs, etc... It is useless to say the order of the day at the next Congress which will that spiritism, tbeosophy, anthroposophy, etc... are be held in Holland. banished from that Congress which only seeks the A call was issued to all the official Churches. collaboration of the respectable great religions, and Visits to Versailles, the never their close fusion or their synthesis. No com- Paris museums, to intellectual centres, and the parison of superiority of religions was tolerated. The mosque where the very Parisian personality, Kadour Catholic Church, though officially absent, was in fact Ben Ghabrit, courteously welcomed the delegates, well represented (Professor Maritain, Mr. Lacombe. etc... followed the daily sittings. They talked too etc) and it constantly received homage. A hundred much, certainly, but they also acted: such a congress persons, many of them Anglo-saxons, officers, is an act, and bears a date. It should be proclaimed administrators, professors, aristocrats, high- more important than the League of Nations, after one bourgeoisie-attended the "days", Catholic, Jewish, of those teas that gathered the members on certain 76 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 77 days and revived the flame of the proselytes of the Mohammedan, Buddhist, Jewish "days", according to religious idea. the body to which the main speaker belonged. So, La Verit´ e´, of Phnom-Penh, seat of the Foreign Tuesday, July 4th was a "Catholic day". The Catholic Mission of Caodaism, expresses it in almost the same Church officially abstained from participating in the language (July 26, 1939): work of the Congress, but, actually, Professor Jacques Caodaism at the Congress of Religions in Paris Maritain, Mr. O. Lacombe, and other catholics played (pp. 1 and 5). a part of first importance in the Congress week. The Caodaism or Reformed Buddhism was church was invisible, but present. represented this year at the Congress of Religions in True, the scope of the Congress was not so Paris (July 3-11) by Mr. Gabriel Gobroh, instructor in great, so universal as one might wish. This was due to France of Caodaism, who again found the leading certain limitations imposed upon the delegates. personalities he had known in London in 1936; Sir a) No religion must make proselytes by showing Francis Younghusband, president, and Mr. Arthur its superiority over other beliefs; Jackman, secretary. b) It was not to be a matter of union, a fusion of The French Government had decided to give religions, but only of collaboration with different reli- its support to the Congress of Religions, in the person gions while remaining separate; a religion of union, of Mr. Georges Mandel, Minister of Colonies, Mr. of synthesis, such as Caodaism, is thus not at ease in Champetier de Ribes, Minister of Pensions, the Rector such a Congress. So, our instructor in France could of the University of Paris, Dr. Roussy, who offered declare to Mr. Oliver Lacombe, vice-president of the the broad Richelieu amphitheatre, in Sorbonne, for French Committee, that he was the only "heretic" the sessions of the Congress. A French Committee, present; under the chairmanship of Professor Louis Massig- c) Access to the Congress, theorically, was non, and composed of various personalities: Mme de reserved to the great historic Religions having proved Coral-Remusat,´ Mr. Jean Herbert, Mme de Margerie, their fecundity by their long past (speech of Mr. O. the Princess A. Murat, R. de Traz, Mr. O. Lacombe, Lacombe, July 1st, 1939). Professor Daniel Rops, etc... led the debates, which Sir Francis Younghusband decided, however, dwelt on the fundamental theme: How to develop the to welcome Mr. Gabriel Gobron, according him full spirit of fraternal cooperation in the world by reli- liberty of speech and discussion, after his presenta- gion? tion of official papers from Caodaist authorities at the Round this problem thus posed, we secretariat in the Sorbonne. nevertheless notice Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Mr. Georges Mandel, Minister for the 78 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 79

Colonies, had assured the participation of elements of (Monastery of Rangoon), Professor Hauter (Protestant the French Empire in the work and debates. It was Faculty of Strasbourg), etc... thus that General Hasan Husny Abdelwahab, of the Tuesday the 11th marked an end to the most House of the Bey of Tunis, an attache of the High- fraternal and curteous of work and debates. The Commissioner for Syria, for instance, represented delegates separated with pain, with a certain wrencht Islam. On the contrary, our instructor in France does after having passed motions, resolutions, examined not seem to have met representatives of the French projects, improvements, fixed the place of the next elements of Asia, hinduism and buddhism being Congress in Holland, etc... represented only by English elements: Bhik Khu Thit- Let us note, among numerous interesting tila (monastery of Rangoon), Professor Dasgupta things, a resolution asking Dictators to rule their peo- (Calcutta) etc... ples with greater humanity; congratulations to Cham- Each day, in Paris as in London, in 1936, was berlain for his work of peace; thanks to French composed of an expose in the morning, then a discus- Authorities whose friendliness to all religions needs sion in the afternoon, followed by visits to places of no further demonstration; the possibility was con- interest (Versailles, Museums, etc...) and to the Intel- sidered of Strasbourg, Jerusalem, Geneva, etc.... wel- lectual circles of Paris (Institut de Civilisation Indi- coming the next congress; an invitation to all enne, Mosquee, Association France-Grande-Bretagne, churches to give the widest publicity to the work of etc...). Our instructor in France having criticized the the Congress, of which one orator said that it might organization of the Congress of London where iso- henceforth replace the League of Nations torpedoed lated intellectuals, representing only themselves (and by politicians and their manipulators. The question of

sometimes their little vanities) he now held the floor refugees was proposed for the following year. for an hour or two˛ insisting that preference be The French Committee decided to continue granted in Paris to representatives of the communi- in Paris the work of rapprochement and mutual ties., according to the very terms of the rules of the understanding between the great beliefs... Several Congress at the Sorbonne. So dilettanti and amateurs inter-religious associations were noted in the capital found themselves set aside to the advantage of great and offered themselves to delegates desirous of names like Professor Jacques Martiani (Catholic Insti- attending their meetings and joining their efforts. tute of Paris), Professor Dasgupta (Hinduism), Doctor We think that the time is not far off when Sie (University of Nankin), General Hasan Husny Caodaism will have to play an important role, by its Abdelwahab (House of the Bey), Viscount Samuel (ex living example, in these world Congress of Religions. High Commissioner for Palestine), Bhik Khu Thittila 5) In 1948. 80 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 81

As we have seen, Caodaism is a religion, a body of doctrine, a living tradition, a philosophy, in a POPES OF CAODAISM word, a spirituality. Brother Gago was a good prophet, the Inter- Le Populaire (Sai-G` on,` November 18th, 1935) national Congresses will answer the call of higher published this news: At Tay-Ninh,ˆ Mr. Pham-c. ong-ˆ entities, but not without difficulty. Tac´˘ succeeds Mr. Le-vˆ an-Trung˘ as Caodaist Pope. Mr. Henry Regnault presented the first edi- On the occasion of the anniversary of the tion of the present work to the delegates to the 3rd death of Mr. Le-vˆ an-Trung,˘ Caodaist Pope, grandiose Congress of the Worldwide Spiritual Counsel, gath- ceremonies took place at the Tay-Ninhˆ Temple, on the ered at Lausanne (Switzerland) in August, 1948. 8th, 9th, and 10th of last November, in which more "None of the delegates knew Caodaism. All were than five thousand faithful participated.

interested to learn that Caodaism has for its ideal the unit- A Great Council composed of Hoi-Nhˆ. on-Sanh˛ ing of all religions and bringing of peace here below, which (popular counsel) an Hoi-Thˆ. anh´ (sacerdotal counsel) we also pursue". was held on the 11th and 12th of November at the Mr. Henry Regnault was charged by the end of the festivals to resolve the thorny question of Congress to enter into relations with the Chiefs of the succession of M. Le-vˆ an-Trung.˘

Caodaism asking them to join to the Worldwide Spiri- Unanimously, the Hoi-Nhˆ. on-Sanh˛ and the tual Counsel. Hoi-Thˆ. anh´ entrusted this difficult task to the Ho-Phˆ. ap´ The answer was favorable and no doubt in Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac.´˘ All motions of confidence also 1949, in Italy, Caodaism will be represented to its obtained a unanimous vote of the Great Council. So credit. was settled a question that has so many times *** attracted the attention of public opinion. The spiritual impulse of His Holiness Pham-. Let us hope that under the protection of the cong-Tˆ ac,´˘ Superior of Caodaism, is considerable and new chief, Caodaism may quietly go its way. his radiance oversteps the already broad frontiers of The newspaper noted the ceremonies: On the the Far-East to show itself real and growing even in occasion of the anniversary of the death of Mr. Le-ˆ Europe and the two Americas. van-Trung,˘ Caodaist Pope, important ceremonies will take place on the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th of November at the Caodaist Temple at Tay-Ninh.ˆ Here is the program of the ceremonies: November 8th. 2 p.m.: Great ceremonies marking

82 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 83

˛ the end of mourning at the Giao-T´ ong-ˆ D- uong`˛ . cruelty, and revenge that history records, looks upon November 9th. 7 p.m. Transfer of the Linh-Vi. to with derision. the Temple; 8 p.m. Ceremonies at the Temple. Taoism, of which the doctrine entirely November 10th 7 p.m. Transfer of the Linh-Vi. to derives from the Revered Book of Supreme Reason

the Place of Universal Brotherhood. and Virtue, develops parallel to its philosophy ˛ ˛ November... 6 a.m. Ceremonies before the Cuu- eminently Christian thoughts though it be nearly six Trung-Thi` enˆ . Funeral orations pronounced by High hundred years anterior to Christianity. It prescribes Dignataries. the worship of truth and discipline of character. This On the occasion of the 10th anniversary, la shows that we may meet in the nations considered as Presse Indochinoise (Sept. 3rd, 1936) reminded the barbarous by our ancient Europe, the practise of max- Indochinese public of what Caodaism or Reformed ims of gentleness and altruism tending to the mainte- Buddhism is. nance of union and benevolence among men. The Caodaism, new religion born in Indo- Confucianism whose precepts are in no way china in 1926, lavished upon the first initiates, by the contrary to our modern scientific spirit, shows a con- voice of the Supreme Master. Cao-D- ai,` its teachings stant, anxiety to lift humanity above bestiality by under the form of occult messages that mediums have developping qualities, creating a moral and intellec- scrupulously selected to transmit to them for poster- tual elite to guide toward happiness the incapable ity. and ignorant who lack the primordial elements of The interpreter of spiritism enables Intelligence, Reason and Knowledge. numerous messages it emanating from Great Sages of To the dogmas of the Three-Saints are added Antiquity, to come regularly from the Beyond to the the religion of love and kindness of Christ, the respect Holy See of Tay-Ninhˆ (Cochinchina). of the dead and the worship of the family. The adherents of Caodaism, ever more and In short, Caodaism gives proof of a great more numerous learn that the basis of dogmas is the tolerance toward all the existing religions for it Law of the Three Saints: Buddha, Laotze, Confucius. includes all, devotes itself to combat heresy; sows among The genenal precepts of Buddhism are not to kill, not the peoples a love of good and of God’s creatures, the prac- to steal, not to desire a neighbour’s wife, not to bear tise of virtue; love of justice and resignation; reveals to false witness, not to be drunken. Buddhism goes far human beings the posthumous consequence of their acts, at in the search for perfection when it teaches love the same time cleansing their souls. toward one´s enemy, a precept that our Occident, Numerous papers announced the manifesta- which has given the most afflicting spectacle of hatred tions: "Great Caodaist Festival to the memory of Pope 84 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 85

Le-vˆ an-Trung".˘ prudently called Monseigneur Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac´˘ to the The Caodaist Temple of Tay-Ninhˆ is very functions of a temporary Chief without giving him the

animated these days. Thousands of faithful feverishly official title of the Religion, at Mytho, Mr. Nguyen-˜ˆ ˛

work to finish preparations destined worthily to cele- ngoc-T. uong˛ got himself granted the title Giao-T´ ongˆ brate the memory of the dead. (Caodaist Pope) by a few hundred followers. The new The ceremonies that begin on Thursday Pope so named, accompanied by a crowd of parti- November 26, at 7 p.m., will last three days. It will sans, presented himself at the Temple of Tay-Ninhˆ to celebrate, on the same occasion, the freedom of wor- take up his duties and also assist at the funeral of the ship which the liberality of the French Government Great Departed. Entrance to the Holy See of the new has granted it. All the Caodaists parishes of Indochina Religion was forbidden to the Chief of the Mytho are called upon to participate in the grand program sect, for it is only on "Holy Land" that the true divine which includes: torchlight parade, and fireworks. speech may come to superiors of the religion by a A Great Festival in view. medium interpreter. Cao-D- ai` hasn’t named His We have been assured that this will be the Eminence Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac´˘ to the dignity of Supreme greatest festival since the foundation of Caodaism. Chief of the Religion.

La Verit´ e´ (November 20, 1936) gave an It is understandable that the Caodaist leaders ˛

account of the joyful events in these terms: "At the are giving to the Festival of D- ai-T. uong`˛ an unaccus- Caodaist Holy See twenty thousand faithful cele- tomed splendor. Flower-decked floats would have brated the 10th anniversary of that religion. Mourn- paraded in the town of Tay-Ninhˆ except for the ing for Pope Le-vˆ an-Trung˘ is ended". refusal of the Chief of the province. We feel this (From our special correspondent, November 28th) refusal to be unjustified since all was carried on From all corners ot Cochinchina, Cambodia calmly enough. Flowery floats, torchlight procession, and even certain Moi. tribes, thousands of faithful fireworks during three days of festival increased the

come to the Caodaist Holy See at Tay-Ninh,ˆ these popular joy. Electric lights in plenty gave to the Holy ˛

days to celebrate the "D- ai-T. uong`˛ ", after which, mourn- Land the aspect of an agitated little city. ing for Pope Le-vˆ an-Trung˘ will be ended. We met the high Chieftains. The real Chief of Exactly two years ago the Caodaist Pope - to the Religion, whom we had met elsewhere, before his use an expression of honour here - passed away. The Caodaist conversion, had worked in the customs; Caodaist schism is going to be definitely consum- while our childhood friend, Le-Thˆ e-Vinh,ˆ´ chief of pro- mated on the occasion of the nomination of his tocol, has been militant in the "Young Vietnam" successor.When in the Holy Land the leadership movement for the betterment of the lot of the 86 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 87

Vietnamese people. *** This evening, mourning for Pope Le-vˆ an-˘ More and more, Caodaism tends to unity. Trung will be lifted, speeches read, which will inform Unity between other religions and itself, internal us of the movement, its tendencies, its possibilities, its unity, magnificent harmony around His Holiness future. We know that Caodaism was born orily in Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac´˘ who is one of the first followers 1926, under the impulse of turning tables, imported chosen and named by the Divine Master Cao-D- ai` and from France. But what the public doesn’t know is that one of the founders of the religion. His Holiness a half-caste Frenchman, faithful reader of Leon Denis Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac´˘ is the Chief, appointed inspirer of the and Allan Kardec, has paid with his own money for Hiep-Thiˆ. en-ˆ D- ai` , Superior Assembly of mediums. This the propaganda of spiritualistic ideas in the colony, is a kind of Holy-Office for the proclamation and con- which has contributed much to the extraordinary servation of the pure doctrine and also cares for the development of the new religion which puts on the legislative organization of the Religion. same rank: Confucius, Laotze, Shakyamuni and Jesus His Holiness Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac´˘ was proclaimed Christ. That strange syncretism furthermore explains Superior of Caodaism by the Popular Council and by the rapid success of the movement among Viet- the Sacerdotal Council to replace the late temporary namese and even Cambodians. Pope, Mr. Le-vˆ an-Trung˘ disincarnated in 1934. The Government might fear for a moment His Holiness Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac´˘ is an inspired this tardy birth of religion in the very middle of the man, highly mystic, and as generally is true of mys- 20th century;. but since, our leaders have authorized tics, a great administrator and organizer. He is a its propaganda in Tonkin; Caodaist Missions have remarkable builder, for it is he who drew the plans of spread even to France and China. the Caodaist Temple of the Holy See of which the May not the present manifestation at Tay-ˆ present work gives several photographic reproduc- Ninh be used as a point of departure for the consoli- tions. He drew up the plans and personally saw to, dation and extension of the movement, which has point by point, all the details of the building and slackened in recent years? decoration, which is magnificent. The Caodaist Chiefs are ambitious to become *** spiritual Chiefs of a part of the Far-East thanks to His Holiness Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac’s´˘ right hand is Caodaist development. His Excellency Tr`an-Quang-Vinh,ˆ Secretary of State The near future will furnish us with the key for National Defense in the provisional Central of these enigmas. Government of Vietnam, since the first of June 1948. Srok Sarou His Eminence Tr`an-Quang-Vinhˆ has been a 88 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 89

Caodaist dignitary since 1927. He has ascended the ˛

hierarchic echelons: Le-Sanh,˜ˆ Giao-H´ uu,˜ ˛ Giao-S´ u, then INAUGURATION

Phoi-Sˆ´ u,˛He was Chief of the Foreign Mission of Cao- OF THE CAODAIST daism. With that title, he resided in Cambodia from TEMPLE OF PHNOM-PENH 1927 to 1941. From 1942 to 1948, he was a representa-

tive of the Superior of Caodaism, residing in Sai-G` on.` On Saturday May 22nd, 1937, took place that

Founder, organizer and Commander-in- imposing ceremony of which a speech of the Giao-S´ u˛ ˛

Chief of the Caodaist Troops. Thuong-Vinh-Thanh,˛. Chief Assistant of the Foreign In 1931, he was sent to France and it was at Mission of Caodaism or Reformed Buddhism (who is that time that he created a cell of French Dignitaries believed to be the reincarnation of Francois Hugo), and followers among which Gabriel Gobron, brother constitutes the masterpiece. Here are some broad Gago and his wife, Mrs. Marguerite G. Gobron who extracts: may be adressed for information regarding the Cao- When our hierarchy named me to give a daist religion in France. speech to-day when we are going to inaugurate our first church built in the capital of the Khmer King- dom, 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-B. ay-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 to-day before so impressive and select an audience. Speaking a still uncertain French and espe- cially 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, 90 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 91 where the least discordant word must not be uttered, Rucart, Jean Piot, J. M. Renaitour, M. Voirin, A. Phi- where all they who here are gathered recognize their lip, Mile Marthe Williams, Colonel Alexis Metois, Fel- duty to love one another as brethren and sisters in icien Challaye, M. E. Tozza, Gabriel Abadie de Les- order to follow the unique law of God the Creator, trac, Jean Laffray (Director of La Griffe), Ch. Bellan, Father of all, to whatever race we belong, from what- Ex-Resident of France in Cambodia, etc. etc. We beg ever country we come. your pardon for any unwitting omission that we We chose for the inauguration of our first might make in this hurried account. temple the date of the anniversary of the disincarna- Now here we are gathered in this solemnity tion of the Great Frenchman, of Great Human, Victor for the inauguration of our "House of God" (Domus Hugo, who has been since 1927 our much loved and Dei) at Phnom-Penh. venerated spiritual Leader. We would then show our It is long since at Phu-Qu´ ocˆ´ , an island situated gratitude to France, the country where the Great Poet in the Gulf of Siam, the Spirit breathed as he had was born, that we have learned how to love on the already breathed on the Island of Jersey, facing the benches of French schools, this chivalrous, generous infinite mystery of the human conscience and destiny, and humanitarian France. by those immortal tables of Mme de Girardin et de It was in 1927 that the Superior of the Victor Hugo. It is already long when the Spirit Reformed Buddhism, Mr. Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac´˘ came to breathed in small family groups in Sai-G` on` and Cambodia and the Spirit of Victor Hugo was first quickly brought the adherence of Mr. Le-vˆ an-Trung˘ manifested by turning tables, then by the planchettes, who was to become the Venerated Superior of Caoda- at last by a billed basket. So was founded the Cao- ism or Reformed Buddhism (3rd Amnesty of God in daist Foreign Mission and the Spirit Victor Hugo the Orient). Since 1919, but especially since 1925, our became our Spiritual Chief. Under his teachings, we movement has not ceased to be confirmed and to win could propagate the new Holy Doctrine, first of all in new consciences and souls on every point of the the territory of Cambodia, then in France and Laos, earth. afterwards in Annam and Tonkin. Let us pay homage Certainly, it has met - like all novelties of this to those who frequently took steps in France or in world - scepticism, mockery, suspicion, and its most Indochina to defend the cause of Caodaism: Mr. expressive symbols: the Eye of God that is found in a Roger Lascaux, attorney, Mr. Lortat Jacob, attorney, crowd of theologies and philosophies, the swastika President Albert Sarraut, the Residents Superior that is the origin of all symbolisms and esoterisms of Richome, Silvestre, Thibaudeau, the deputies H. Ger- earthly civilizations, the most respectable of our sym- nut, Marius Moutet, E. Outrey, Paul Ramadier, Marc bols, were held up to ridicule or earned us groundless 92 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 93 accusations, because of the ignorance and work of Victor Hugo, it has influenced the researches incomprehension of wordlings who looked only on of the three-times doctor Hans Driesch, professor at the outside. the University of Leipzig, German theorician of neo- Now, says an old French proverb: "if you vitalism and the brilliant essays of Allan Kardec and would root up the weeds, first go into the garden". even Bergson. So many things we might add in But it is especially the psychic basis, and why defence of the spiritualistic fact! But suffice it to say should we fear to call a cat a cat and Rollet a thief, that it is most often ignorance when it isn’t prejudice according to the immortal verse of Boileau? It is espe- that causes painful human misunderstanding. It is a cially the spiritualistic basis of our movement that poor cause, says British wisdom, that cannot keep a was the object of the easiest and most obstinate jokes. smile for the superficial critic. We will not here make an apology for modern spiri- Furthermore we have veiled the billed tism. In spite of ceaseless attacks of which it is the basket, recognizing by the example of the Catholic object especially since the last three quarters of the Church, and of enlightened spiritualists, that spiritu- century, the spiritualistic fact did not cease to win alistic practises, if they can be, and effectively in all famous scholars such as Sir Oliver Lodge, a physicist points of the world (there are spiritualistic groups in of world renown, Rector of the University of Birming- the ices of Alaska, in the ranchos of the Argentine ham, member of the Royal Academy of England, to pampas, in the luxuriant nature of India), starting take only one example. It did not cease to win islands point of a new birth of man: its spiritual birth, they such as Porto-Rico and Cuba, (the most spiritualistic can also lead imprudent naive persons, individuals country proportionately to its population and where with moral blemish, to disastrous results. Saint Paul the radio carries regular broadcasts of a spiritualistic had already recommended to his disciples the dis- character), whole countries like Brazil, the Home of cerning of spirits. And thus it was that the Anglican the Gospel where 8 million inhabitants are ack- Church, deserted by millions of its faithful, united by nowledged spiritualists (200.000 in Rio-de-Janeiro); it a certain number of its priests spiritualistic associa- did not cease to win even universities - unbelievable tions to consolidate the faith by proof, religion by sci- fact - for Utrecht, Leyde, Belgrade, Lund, Buenos- ence, to associate itself in the new direction that Ayres, London, several American Institutions already humanity demands: (one adult out of seven still fre- have their chairs of experimental spiritualism. At last quents the Church in England). it does not cease to be sympathetic with the original But what is the very characteristic of Caoda- thought of our epoch for after having inconstestably ism or Reformed Buddhism, is not so much that decided the prophetic character of the mission and experimental, psychic basis, that communion of the 94 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 95 souls of the living and dead, that glorious and mov- reproach that Caodaism should have excluded from ing fraternity of-visible and invisible worlds, as the its temples Mahomet and Islam. On our part, there effort of a powerful doctrinal synthesis we have real- was no ostracism. And it is sufficient to recall here ized by mixing the Gods of Asia with the Gods of one of the teachings of Mahometan mysticism to see Europe. No "House of God" is in effect comparable to that no Caodaist should refuse to recognize that in ours, for European or Asiatic, believer or unbeliever this anecdote of soufism, the very history of his own may lift up his soul toward his hope of predilection birth in the divine manner, his metanoia or upsetting by worshipping Jesus Christ, by venerating Gautama of the values of the religious soul. Buddha, or (after the example of free-thinkers of the One disciple presents himself at the door of Occident) by admiring Confucius. That spiritual syn- the master and knocks. Silence. He knocks again. A thesis tells us where you may find it now, in this voice from inside: world divided by matter, excited by hatred, blood- - Who is there? stained by war. Is there a place where one may, - It is I. better than in Caodaist temple, work for that frater- Silence. The door is not opened. nity of men, that friendship of races, that solidarity of Later, the disciple presents himself again at the continents in a wide human gathering having door of the master and knocks. A voice from inside: inscribed on its labarum these two words, light of all - Who is there? men of good will: Spirit, Peace? For we dare say, fac- - It is Thou! ing the Occident: We are for Peace. And the door is opened this time. Peace with the temporal authorities and Truly, a religion that knew how to propagate chiefs, who also have their mission, often unpleasant such truths of a universal nature, a religion that has and difficult to fulfil in the unleashing of contradic- put upon the lips of certain of its disciples those mar- tory passions of men. Peace with neighbouring vellous words: I am neither Mahomedan, nor Chris- nations, peace with foreign peoples, because war tian, nor Jew, I am Ouali (God’s friend), indeed, I say bears in itself so many harms not to be a barbarous that religion could not have been the object on our superstition or a satanic crime, and the French motto part of any plot, any conspiracy. Let the Mahomedans of collective peace, the invisible peace, the peace by of India, the natives of the French Mahomedanism conciliation, remains our formula despite the dark believe us in this and recover confidence for our hour. Such is the meaning of our spiritualistic syn- mutual good. And since we have uttered the name of thesis. Mahomedan France which has erected its mosque in It is true that from Europe comes the slight Paris where five times, a day blares from the top of 96 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 97 the minaret the call of the muezzin, now it is sweet to endeavour to all its subjects and proteges without dis- us to thank, with all our hearts, sincerely and grate- tinction, for to the thirst of souls spiritual possibilities fully Caodaist France, that France which, with its must be equal to all. Therein is equity, therein is jus- measured spirit, its harmonious will, its fraternal tice. That all may be realized to the maximum and hand always stretched toward the little ones who that all may go to everybody working for that edifica- have not yet realized themselves, has enabled us to be tion of the divine, the castle of the soul according to what we are, will help us to become what we shall be. the beautiful words of Saint Theresa in the local and To that France which understood that the 3rd ephemeral man that the wheel of life temporarily ties Amnesty of God in the Orient, with psychic and then to the destiny of those "earths of Heaven" where our scientific basis, might reach the universal by the syn- globe is but a stone thrown among billions of others thetic character of religions which it unites and epi- in the Infinite... tomizes in a daily, peaceful and active fraternity, to Before those infinite perspectives, what are that France which encouraged and favoured a new the stingy limitations that sadly delay the growth of hope in the world, which was recently greeted not souls whose wakening awaits a ray of light, a flash of only by periodicals such as La nature of Paris, but also fire, so we believe that France shall have perfect confi- Religion of Rome and Reformator of Rio de Janeiro, to dence in us and give to us the same facilities as to that France always ready to exalt and glorify the spir- other spiritual powers to invite to our rich feast of itual and universal, constructive and benevolent divine food, so many of our brethren who may not values, Caodaism or Reformed Buddhism, from its yet come to us or to whom we may not yet go. Superior and its Hierarchy to the humblest of its Let France, faithful to its most sublime tradi- faithful, now sends the heart-felt expression of its tions, be thanked in advance for "service of its neigh- infinite gratitude. In working for our spiritual syn- bour" which is the first and greatest duly of any Cao- thesis, working in the sense of the universal, we are daist. conscious of having worked as Frenchmen, to come This ceremony found multiple echoes in the much nearer to the French soul with which we Indochinese press. believe ourselves to have so many secret and mysteri- La Presse Indochinoise (4, 22nd, 1937) tells us ous affinities, that the communion of the living and of a visit to the Caodaist temple at Phnom-Penh: dead can but strengthen and prove itself in the future. The Caodaist temple of Phnom-Penh is It is before that joyful fact that we dare to situated almost at the corner of Pasquier Boulevard express our dearest desire in the world: That liberal, and Verdun Street. Formerly - eight years ago - it was generous France helps us to spread the benefit of our only a simple straw hut where lived the first 98 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 99 missionaries. Revolution. One represents the reformer of Caoda- After praiseworthy endeavours of remark- ism, the other the propagandist par excellence. At the able propaganda, the Caodaists at Phnom-Penh have center, the sanctuary is at the same time austere and attracted into their ranks more than 20.000 faithful, soberly arranged. Without superfluous decorations, men and women, among which we count several there is only a paperglo be, an eye painted on cloth Europeans and one thousand Chinese. then, by hierarchic order, are settled the statues of Thanks to the sacrifice and good will of all Buddha, Christ, and the angels. the believers the temple has 1 at present become a On our right, "Quan-congˆ H`auˆ " with a bright magnificent, building. Its inauguration shall take red face is reading; on our left, "Phatˆ. Quan-Amˆ " is say- place on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of next May; on the ing prayers. At the bottom, opposite the Sanctuary, same occasion, the festival of the anniversary of father hanging on the wall is a big picture in marble on Victor Hugo will also be celebrated. The ceremonies which figure the names of Moutet, Guernut, Albert of these two united festivals promise to be splendid. Sarraut, Felicien´ Challaye, etc. The great chiefs of Caodaism of Tay-Ninhˆ such as His Beside the usual functions of religion, the Holiness Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac,´˘ Mme Huyen-Sˆ. ay,ˆ will be Caodaists also take care of the education of their chil- present at the festivals. dren.

Mr. D- ang-trung-Ch˘. u,˜ ˛ chief of the Caodaists We paid a visit to a class led by a young of Phnom-Penh, with whom we had an appointment teacher having under his care twenty pupils who,

to-day at the temple, could not receive us. Urgently with an admirable cadence, recited aloud the lessons

˛

called to Chau-ˆ D- oc,ˆ´ he was replaced by Mr. Huong˛ they had learned by heart. All are children of Cao-

˛ who served us as a guide during our visit of the daists, said Mr. Huong˛ to us not without satisfaction, newly built temple. A thin man with an oval face, a on accompanying us toward the exit.

high forehead, a little black scanty beard clinging to On leaving the temple and our guide, we car-

˛ the chin, Mr. Huong˛ physically represents the ried with us the impression that the leaders of Caoda- caodaist-type. Very enterprising, he guided us ism at Phnom-Penh have done much for the triumph through the temple recently done up like new, and of their religion; the results already obtained are the with competence gave us all the desired explanations. best proofs of their tireless work which will surely be At the entrance of the temple, a large photo of Victor crowned with success at the next inauguration of the Hugo, in his classic position of a thinker, at once temple. strikes the sight. Near him on the same table, stands L’Opinion (5, 24th, 1937) in these terms relates Doctor Sun Yat Sen, the father of the Chinese the inauguration: 100 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 101

According to the prepared program, the Cao- profits greatly thereby. daist temple of Phnom-Penh was inaugurated on Fri- Through the interpreter of Spiritism, we day by various ceremonies to which we shall return recognized that a reformation of the moral state of all later, lacking space to-day for a detailed account. humanity is necessary for the spiritual evolution of

Here is, however, the text of the speech pro- the world. ˛ ˛

nounced by His Eminency Thuong-Ch˛. u-Thanh,˜ Chief The human spirit had already come to a of the Foreign Mission of Caodaism in the course of stage where the old dogmas and doctrines could not the first day: satisfy its freer and more sublime expansion. A new I am grateful to you for coming in such era must be reserved to it; that new era consists in numbers to attend the inauguration of the first Cao- giving it a broader horizon for its liberty of consci- daist temple in Cambodia as well as the festival of the ence. A new faith must be granted to it. That faith anniversary of the spiritual Chief of our Mission Vic- must comprise all other existing faiths, while conserv- tor Hugo. ing them in their philosophical purity. Hence the In the name of the caodaist hierarchy, I give name of Caodai (High Church or Great Faith of the you, Ladies and Gentlemen, our liveliest gratitude for world) created by the Divine Spirit. your kind attention toward us. Caodaism or Reformed Buddhism practises a You may, perhaps, have learned of the birth large tolerance toward all beliefs. It respects all of Caodaism or Reformed Buddhism by publicity oth- human consciences as it respects the universal Consci- ers than ours. You found that it was born of a mar- ence that is the emanation of God. The symbolic Eye riage between Oriental and Occidental philosophy. It figuring on our altar is the image of the individual is the synthesis of all the faiths of the world. Conscience and the universal Conscience. Our wor- What do we mean by Oriental philosophy? ship then is the worship of God and Humanity. The Is it not that which comes from high philo- exterior manifestation of our new religion consists in sophical thinking of all the Asiatic religions most of bringing back all thoughts toward the primordial them being found in China except Buddhism which is unity; "the Conscience in itself and the Conscience in of Indian origin, but which was also thousands years God". An inward voice makes us understand that ago nationalized Chinese and Vietnamese. Humanity is One; one in nation, one in thought, one The philosophy that forms the ground of Asi- in religion. The idea of uniting all mankind in a new atic morals has already given to the Orientals several conception of Love and Justice might give the world a milleniums of civilization of which China is con- more lasting peace by the practise of God. sidered the guiding spirit. The Vietnamese nation Caodaism or Reformed Buddhism has a 102 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 103 tendency to fraternize with all races and unify souls constituted a magnificent ornament, with the by preaching to the world Peace and Concord. Such violently lit temple and agreeably decorated plat- are the great lines dictated by our divine Constitution forms where took place the reception of French and practised by his ministers. local authorities, representatives of the press and I close, Ladies and Gentlemen, my dearest guests. Brethren and Sisters in the faith, wishing that divine Inside the temple, the sanctuary, possessing mercy may be spread on you and on the whole an austere aspect, did not exclude beauty by its sim- world. plicity, On the right and left of the sanctuary were La Presse Indochinoise (5, 25th, 37), in a very installed two altars; the one, of Quan-Thanh´ D- e-Quˆ´ anˆ ; long report, relates in detail the outstanding events of the other, of Quan-Amˆ B`o-Tˆ at´ . the ceremony. We extract only some new viewpoints: Outside, two big illuminated swastikas

The dedication of the caodaist temple of framed the symbolic Eye of which the pupil was lit by Phnom-Penh, celebrated three days ago˛obtained a a green electric bulb. Opposite the temple, on the lively success among the population of the Khmer esplanade "Bach-V. anˆ " was erected a big altar with the capital, and was marked with a character, at the same photo of Victor Hugo seated, his elbow on a table, time splendid and solemn. which was attended by two rows of members of three Thousands of spectators, the faithful, coming orders, in yellow, red, blue tunics. from Cochinchina and the remotest corners of Cam- In a broad court situated between the bodia, invaded the temple till its compound become esplanade and the temple, numerous French, Cambo- too narrow to contain the ceaselessly growing crowd. dian, Vietnamese, Chinese and Hindu personalities For want of space, a dense throng stood visited various attractions, especially the fireworks,

along the sidewalks and on the curb of D- o-h˜ˆ uu-V˜ ˛ i. the dance of the unicorn, and the "long-ma˜" accom- Boulevard, which was filled with pedlars who did a panied by Cambodian, French and Vietnamese music, thriving business. Yet, no unfortunate incident was which, vieing with each other in talent and ardour, noticed in the course of three days of festival; the pol- produced and deafening uproar. ice force furnished by the caodaist members made it This speech was followed by a doctrinal easy for the official police force. With a smile and discourse of great import delivered in Vietnamese by every courtesy, they guided the guests and interested Mr. Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac´˘ who honoured the ceremony spectators. with his presence from the beginning. The end of the In the evening, flags of different nations, pen- lecture was received religiously and with long nants, banderoles, banners of various colours applause by a fervent audience. 104 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 105

Truly, this inauguration of the temple marks baton, the sight of which must have frightened the a fine achievement for the Caodaists of Phnom-Penh unhealthy spirits and kept them off the sacred place. who did their very best to give their temple - form- The smoke of the sticks of incense stuck into erly a simple straw hut - a worthy and admirable the vases of ash rose like a curtain before the symbolic appearance. globe and divinities. La Dep´ echeˆ (5, 26th, 1937) also gave a, very The monks, draped in their red, blue or yel- detailed account, of which we shall cite only a few low gowns, the members dressed in their white robes, passages indicating new aspects of the ceremony. knelt on the mats in line and occupied the central and On Pierre Pasquier boulevard, in the quarter lateral naves of the temple. Now and then, heralds that one of our collaborators not long ago called the announced various phases of the ceremony at the top "lake-dwellers city of Phnom-Penh", in the place of of their voices. the little straw chapel dedicated to the new cult of The festival over, the Ho-Phˆ. ap´ was accom- Reformed Buddhism, the Caodaists of Cambodia panied again by the same ceremonial to his rest have built a magnificent temple whose style strangely house- He then had a quick interview with La recalls that of Saint-Mexmes Church at Chinon. Dep´ echeˆ : After a detailed description of the temple, we The Ho-Phˆ. ap´ Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac´˘ is a keen, edu- read: cated man; he speaks and writes French admirably. The Ho-Phˆ. ap´ Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac´˘ who the day He was reading La Dep´ echeˆ when we were brought before had left the Vatican of Tay-Ninh,ˆ and who into the sitting-room by the Chief of the diocese. stayed, on his arrival at Phnom-Penh, in the parish Immediately, he stood up, offered his hand like a gen- house erected within the circumference of the tleman and, with a smile, showed us to an arm-chair. monastery, came at the appointed time to the temple, Fearing the torture of a long interview, he arrayed in the costume of a great marshall of the began to let us know that he was a faithfuf reader of Celestial Empire, sheltered beneath golden parasols our paper and took particular interest in its Cambo- preceded by a band playing a lively march and dian edition for he had in the Khmer land more than escorted by a numerous retinue. forty thousand coreligionists. At the entrance of the temple, the Ho-Phˆ. ap´ For him Caodaism is a religion that draws its was welcome by the Chief of the Mission, surrounded strength from social concord and peace. The by the local clergy. He was shown toward a platform benevolent hospitality that the Vietnamese Caodaists of honour set back from the porch on which he stood found in Cambodia touched him deeply. He wished during the cerernony, armed with his marshall’s with all his heart that his countrymen might witness 106 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 107 their deep gratitude in regard to the local authorities Preceded by a unicorn and followed by a by continuing to work, here as elsewhere, in the dragon, the procession gathered in their order the car respect of the laws and customs of the country. of Buddha Di-Lac,˘. an idol with a broad smile, impas- He manifested however his astonishment on sible in his nirvanian happiness, the altar of the Pope

seeing that orders, no doubt misinterpreted, had been Le-vˆ an-Trung,˘ the portrait of Victor Hugo, the statue given on the occasion of this festival, to keep the sub- of Joan of Arc, the portrait of Cao-quynh-C` u,˛that of jects of His Majesty Monivong from the merrymaking Sun-Yat-Sen, founder of the Chinese Republic, and at

in the circumference of the Caodaist temple... last the big car of the sacred Mountain on which sat ˛ ˛

His Eminency Thuong-Ch˛. u-Thanh,˜ Chief of enthroned the great sage Ly-th´ ai-B´ ach. having on his the Foreign Mission, in residence at Phnom-Penh, right the goddess Quan-Amˆ and on his left the warrior next took the floor. Quan-Congˆ . First, he announced the death of Mrs. Lam-ˆ At the foot of that mountain the late Pope ngoc-Thanh,. a great dignitary of Reformed Bud- Le-vˆ an-Trung˘ was blessing the crowd. dhism, who had just died at Vung-Li˜ emˆ and asked the The procession, preceded, accompanied and audience to observe a minute of silence. followed by noisy orchestras, made three times the Then he praised the founders of Caodaism in tour of the temple passing before the platform where Cochinchina, particularly dwelling on the merits of were seated the Ho-Phˆ. ap,´ the personages of his reti-

the late Pope Le-vˆ an-Trung˘ and another dignitary, nue and the dignitaries of the religion. the late lamented Cao-quynh-C` u.˛Afterwards, having On a part of the platform, we noticed concluded the account of the new religion in Cambo- numerous Chinese women newly converted and dia, the orator informed the audience that the draped in white cloaks like the Vietnamese, with the ceremony of inauguration of the temple of Phnom- marks and badges of their grade. Penh coincided with the anniversary of the death of In France, Le Fraterniste, in Cambodia, La Victor Hugo, the spiritual Chief of the Foreign Mis- Verit´ e´ (10, 20th, 1937) published this impression of the sion of Caodaism. whole: Three other speeches delivered in Cantonese, The newspapers illustrations, the pictures

Tri`eu-Chˆ auˆ and Cambodian, reproduced almost word that I have before me, show the unusual splendor of ˛ ˛

for word the speech of Mr. Thuong-Ch˛. u-Thanh.˜ the festival that took place under the presidence of In the afternoon, at 4.30 took place in the cir- the Superior. Thousands of followers had come from cumference of the monastery the procession of deified all parts: fifteen, twenty, twenty-five thousand? It is personages. difficult to estimate such Asiatic crowds. Speeches 108 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 109 were made and broadcast: by Charles, Chief of the races, religions, colours, and wish a reconciliation of Foreign Mission, by Francois, a guiding spirit of the governments and the end of wars, which are always movement. Those speeches reflect a number of ideas declared by governments. Facing the Occident, the that seemed to me interesting. Caodaits cry: we are for peace, fraternity of men, The sponsorship of the spirit Victor Hugo friendship of peoples, collaboration of races. Here we should be sufficient to underline the eminently spiri- are far from the barbarous politics of totalitarian tualistic character of Caodaism, the actual Superior of states, black, brown, or red pestilences, and hired which was the chief of the school of mediums at Tay-ˆ adventurers who, in each country, seek to ape copy- Ninh (Cochinchina). ing the new Badinguet. The real alliance of the religions of the Orient One sees in it an admirable spiritualistic syn- and the religions of the Occident is affirmed there in thesis, where even an unbeliever finds his spiritual every part, at every moment, for the Caodaist pago- bread, because he may, in a Caodaist pagoda, ask the das are open to the veneration of Christ, Buddha, rules of conduct of Confucius or the sage Laotze. Laotze, Confucius, Mahomet, and all the messengers Indeed, the temple of Cao-D- ai` does not refuse its spir- of God on the earth, be they spiritualists (Victor itual treasuries to anybody. May we be far from our Hugo, Camille Flammarion) or benefactors of human- label stickers, our little chapels, our small clans of ity. benighted prefectures and sub-prefectures, dead dust. In an hour when some are putting a label on The time-table enables us to understand the everything for dividing mankind and sowing hatred, importance, of these three days of festivals: it seems useful to encourage this movement of recon- Program of May 21st, 1937 ciliation, union, universality. In an hour when some Morning: go back to the exclusive formulas and anathemas of 5.15 a.m. Gathering of dignitaries and members at the years of old: "only here may you be saved", it the temple. seems good to repeat, even to the deaf, that it is for- 5.30 a.m. Reception of H.H. Ho-Phˆ. ap´ in the tem- ever finished with the pitiful game of labels: What ple. only matters is not creeds, but acts. Allan Kardec has 6. a.m. Great ritual ceremony and sanctification of luminously expressed: outside of charity, no salva- the symbolic globe. tion. 9. a.m. Reception of H.H. Ho-Phˆ. ap´ on the The pacific and pacifistic spirit of Caodaism esplanande of dignitaries and presentation of the is also worthy approval. The disciples of Cao-D- ai` (the sacerdotal body. Supreme Being) are hostile to distinction of peoples, 9.30 a.m. Songs and prayers by the children’s 110 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 111

chorus: opening speech in Vietnamese by H.E. 5. p.m. Reception of French and local authorities, ˛ ˛ ˛

Thuong-Ch˛. u-Thanh,˜ Giao-S´ u, Chief of the Foreign Mis- representatives of the press and guests. sion; speeches in Chinese and Cambodian. 5.15 p.m. Prayer by children of the chorus in 11.30 a.m. Prayer (at microphone) for world con- honour of the Religion: speech of inauguration of the cord and peace. Caodaist temple by the Assistant-Chief of the Foreign Noon: Mission (at microphone). Ritual ceremony and prayers for the dead. 6. p.m. Vitsit of the temple by the Authorities and Evening: all the spectators. 4. p.m. Gathering of dignitaries on the esplanade. 6.15 p.m. Signing of the Golden Book. 4.30 p.m. Procession of the portrait of Victor 6.30 p.m. Tea of honour. Hugo round the temple to be later installed on the 8. p.m. Speech of H. H. Ho-Phˆ. ap´ (H.H. Pham-.

esplanade "Bach-Van".ˆ cong-Tˆ ac)´˘ (at microphone). Religious lectures by H. ˛ ˛ . ˛ 5.30 p.m. Ritual ceremony and prayers by the E. Thuong-Ch. u-Thanh;˜ other religious lectures.

children’s chorus; lectures in Cambodian by Chanh-´ 11. p.m. Ritual ceremony.

tri-su ˛Pham-van-Ch˘ auˆ ; lectures in Vietnamese by Giao-´ Program of May 23rd. ˛˛ .˛ . .

su Huong-Phung (Mme Tr`an-kim-Phˆ ung), Tiep-ˆ´ D- ao Morning: ˛ . . . - Cao-duc-Tr´ ong. and Khai-Phap´ Tr`an-duy-Nghˆ ˜ıa. Speech 5. a.m. Ritual ceremony. in French by the Chief of the Foreign Mission. 6. a.m. Gathering floats, votive tablets, dragons, 11. p.m. Great ceremony of the anniversary of unicorns, music, etc. on Pierre Pasquier Boulevard, Victor Hugo, spiritual Chief of the Foreign Mission of opposite the Caodaist temple. Caodaism. 6.45 a.m. Start of the procession and train for Program of May 22nd town. Morning: 11. a.m. Ritual ceremony. 5. a.m. Ritual ceremony. Evening: 8. a.m. Prayers for the repose of the dead and for 4. p.m. Gathering of dignitaries on the world concord and peace. esplanade. 11. a.m. Ritual ceremony. 4.30 p.m. Allotting of prizes for floats, dragons, Evening: unicorns, votive tablets, music. 4. p.m. Gathering of dignitaries on the Esplanade. 5. p.m. Chants by the children’s chorus in honour 4.15 p.m. Reception of H.H. Ho-Phˆ. ap´ on the of the religion, with music; ritual ceremony. esplanade. 6. p.m. Religious lectures by various dignitaries; 112 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 113 closing speech by Tiep-Thˆ´ eˆ´Le-thˆ e-Vinhˆ´ . hinder the diffusion of a doctrine that might - as Bud- 10. p.m. Prayers in chorus for the repose of the dha preached - it is not hate, but love that unites dead and for world concord and peace. hearts - make calm to reign over the surface of this

11. p.m. Great ceremony of the 15th day of the 4th still-troubled earth. ˛ ˛ month of the year Dinh-S- uu. My kind fraternal greetings. Mr. Ch. Bellan, ex-Resident of France in Signed: Charles Bellan. 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 reli- gions and to universal fraternity. In the course of 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 dis- tances 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 misunder- standings 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, 114 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 115

There were also those from Quan-Thanh´ D- e-Quˆ´ an,ˆ DOCTRINAL PRECISIONS the Chinese Turenne. So, what seemed first to these neophytes of spiritism an amusement, rapidly became One of our good Caodaist brethren, Mr. a mystic occupation: the conversation with superior Gabriel Abadie, of Lestrac, a little better informed spirits from Beyond from whom they took counsel. than our great journalists of Paris (City of Light) But the use of the turning table to correspond presented in VU (September 7, 1932) a documentary with the occult worid seeming to them impractical, and illustrated article on Caodaism contrasted with this they confided to the Spirit, who recommended those who batten on error and lie, Mr. Abadie can the billed-basket, a kind of rattan helmet, and at the prove how much he has suffered in committing him- same time counselled them to learn from the wisdom ˛ self to tell the truth about Caodaism. of one of their countrymen, the Phu-Chieu,ˆ a man At the beginning of the year 1926, in a com- versed in spiritism. The latter, who was following the partment situated in the vicinity of the "Halles Cen- doctrine of Gautama Buddha and practising the trales", in Sai-G` on,` gathered some young learned morals of Confucius told them that he had been in men, all Buddhists, who were cultivating spiritism in relations with the spirits for several years, from their leisure hours. The idea had come to them from whom he had obtained this revelation: the existence the sceances and revelations of one of their masters, a of a Supreme Being, sovereign of the Universe, he convinced spiritist and representative of the most was Cao-D- ai.` He taught the young men to use the important spiritist society of France. billed-basket and participated in their spiritist sceances. The beginnings were not conclusive, but little At the suggestion of the spirits, they entered by little, with the extreme patience which character- into contact with one of their countrymen, a former izes the Oriental, by eliminating those who did not Cochinchinese mandarin and member of the Govern- possess "fluid", replacing them by comrades better ment Counsel, Le-vˆ an-Trung,˘ whose life of dissipa- endowed, they registered, it seems, extraordinary tion and unrestrained pleasure, did not predispose results. him to the part he was to be called to play. They were, at the beginning, put in commun- Le-vˆ an-Trung’s˘ conversion was miraculous. ication, they claim, with the spirit of one of the sages Moved by grace, the opium-smoker smoked no more, of Chinese Antiquity, Ly-th´ ai-B´ ach,. more commonly the tippler abstained from his favorite alcohol, he called Li-tai-Pe, the Chinese Homer, he who reformed ceased to eat meat and fish, gave up the pleasures of literature under the 13th dynasty Tang (713-742), an the flesh, became a vegetarian and practised the earnest Taoist who dictated them some messages. ascesticism of the austerest bonze. It was in a 116 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 117 following and memorable meeting of spirits that the From a moral point of view, it reminds man of billed-basket enjoined Le-vˆ an-Trung˘ to take up the his duties and obligations, teaches him to know how propagation of Caodaism and conferred on him the to behave toward himself, his family, society, and the title of Pope of the new religion. whole of Humanity. On the subject of the universality of Caoda- From a philosophical point of view, it preaches ism, our brother very well explains the meaning of contempt for honour, wealth, luxury, in a word, the Cao-D- ai:` freeing from servitudes of matter, to look to spiritual- Cao-D- ai` is the symbolic name of the Supreme ity for the full quietude of the soul. Being, who, for the third time, would reveal himself From the point of view of worship, it recom- to the Orient. mends the worship of God and the veneration of the The opinion of the followers of the new faith superior spirits who constitute the occult August is that God, adapting his teachings to the progress of Hierarchy. It admits the cult of Ancestors, built upon the human spirit, now more advanced than formerly, the principles of Buddha, but stands out nevertheless should this time be manifested through mediums, he against meat offerings and the use of votive paper. being unwilling to allow any mortal the privilege of From a spiritualist point of view, it agrees with founding Caodaism. This new manifestation of the other religions, on the existence of the soul, its sur- Supreme Being so comes because all religion submit- vival from the physical envelope, its evolution by suc- ted to human founder’s authority is unsuited to cessive reincarnation, the posthumous consequences universality, seeing that his prophets protested of human actions ruled by the law of Karma. against the truths proclaimed by other religious From the point of view of initiation, it preaches, faiths, toward which they show a marked intolerance. to those of the followers judged worthy, the revealed The Caodaist doctrine is, in great part, drawn teachings to empower them, by a process of spiritual from the three principal and oldest religions of the evolution, to approach ecstasies of bliss. Orient: Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. It The basis of caodaist doctrine is the practice maintains their purest principles recognized as being of good and virtue. How could it be otherwise with a the eternal, immutable truths of the Divine Law. But religion that amalga-mates the three great systems of it intends to reestablish in their true meaning certain the Orient: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, in beliefs that seem to have been twisted. order to uphold only the highest teachings and elim- So refounded, this doctrine conciliates all inate the lower precepts considered as factors of religious convictions and adapts itself to various superstition and ignorance? degrees of spiritual evolution. 1) The merciful Buddha preached devotion and 118 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 119 charity. veneration and it did not hesitate at all beside Bud- 2) The Taoist Doctrine prescribed the worship of dha, Laotze and Confucius, to put in honour the truth and the discipline of character. image of Christ, wishing to spread a teaching, the ori- 3) The sage Confucius traced the way of the Gol- gin of which troubled it less than its intrinsic value. den Mean. There is nothing more to it except that the ground of Cao-D- ai` united the great principles of love its dogma is the law of the Three-Saints (Buddha, and goodness taught by the Three Saints, preaching a Laotze, Confucius) of which it conserves the old new religion wherein men of all colours must strive beliefs, habits and rituals. by new disciplines, toward the creation of a better One might ask oneself, especially these last world, of a world from which would be excluded years, what can be the deep causes that have put the wars and conquests and in which the races might fra- native soul heretofore asleep, toward a religiosity ternize. reaching the mystic fanatism of the high periods of Our brother answers the objection of a cer- faith. tain journalist that Jesus Christ would be there only a Why this religious awakening? one asks. second-rate divinity. The Caodaist doctrine tends to a moral and Christ is a hyphen between Confucianism, social action by making the Vietnamese people Taoism and Buddhism. If he is placed below Far- recover under the lead of their elite, the traditional Eastern divinities, it is because he came to the world taste of their simple, frugal and careful existence. many centuries later... One wonders to see France or more exactly In 1932, Mr. G. Abadie had already foreseen some over-zealous and certainly ill inspired officials the long and painful chapter of jokes and persecu- take sides against the heretics of the reformed tions that were to be let loose and from which he heathen religion in favor of, it seems, the old belief, would not himself escape. which, moreover, does not solicit it, and require that the The new religion, Reformed Buddhism, did orthodox doctrine of the old Buddhism be respected not raise, on account of the proverbial tolerance of the without change, nor evolution of any sort that adapts Far-Eastern peoples, any quarrel between the old it to new conceptions. worship and the reformed one, considering that it The explanation of the campaign conducted was not so intransigent as to declare that, besides its against Caodaism is found in the obstruction that morals and doctrine, it could only have error and gives rise to the reformed religion the number of punishment. It shows on the contrary its respect for faithful which is in Cochinchina, for instance, more religions the teachings of which seemed to it worth than one million out of three million and a half 120 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 121 inhabitants. since the first quarter of this century, Vietnam has The former governor of Cochinchina Blan- undergone an abrupt shock. There has been a com- chard de la Brosse is now exposed to public oppro- plete overthrow of the destiny of people, its thought brium for having declared practicable, and author- and faith. The return of the, two Phan’s (1) ized this religion in the territory under his jurisdic- announced the first symptom of that fever which tion. But the alarm is given and a crusade is launched increases daily. From a political point of view, that is against the heretics. revolution in all minds and, hearts. From an Since then, great progress toward under- economic point of view, it is the intensive develop- standing has been accomplished, and Caodaism is on ment of industry, the formation of cooperatives and the way to becoming the official religion of the new syndicates. From a literary point of view, the radical State of Vietnam. reform of the language, the introduction of new con- Le Cygne (Bach-Nga,. Ha-N` oi)ˆ. published a cepts in Poetry and Art, and as for the domain of reli- series of articles: The true visage of Caodaism (9-36), gion, the birth of a new faith. from which we shall cite only the most curious pas- To the rebuke that Caodaism would be con- sages. It was, as the title indicates an objective report. stituted only by, ignorant and superstitious masses, We can’t pay a better compliment to it, for the truth is skilfully shorn by swindlers and charlatans, this also God’s service. reply: Let my dear readers be assured! Instead of The thousands of Caodaist believers are not pulling a long face in reading the subject of this all credulous or superstitious persons. A great inquiry, looking me up and down with an astonished number of those who practise the new religion in or sceptical or mocking eye, murmuring imprecations Cochinchina, in Tonkin, in China, and in France, are against me, let them listen calmly to the confessions intellectuals of the upper class, teachers, lawyers, of a man who, like them, and nearly all Tonkinese writers, journalists, deputies. It is not without reason intellectuals, has willingly ridiculized a religion that Caodaism caused many to make mention of it newly born in his own country, simply because he throughout the world, that several famous reviews of has understood nothing of it. "Newly born" is not quite Paris, London, Lisbon, Warsaw, even of Rome and of the word; following the Caodaist calendar, Humanity Buenos-Aires have started to study its dogma and is in the year of the 3rd Amnesty of God in the Orient; doctrine. The author of this inquiry has had the rare it is then ten years ago that this religion came into its privilege of ransacking the archives of the Holy See of own. Tay-Ninhˆ where he could read letters and precious An experienced sociologist must notice that documents, bulletins of conversion addressed to the 122 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 123

Pope by foreign personalities from different capitals same level as Buddhism. Moreover, is it not colled of Europe and America. Even Japan, a country proud Reformed Buddhism? of its Bushido, has sent scholars to Tay-Ninhˆ trying to This ambition alone of the new faith that understand what is this new faith which has shaken counts, it is said, millions of followers among which the world’s opinion). many intellectuals, induces us to study Caodaism ______carefully. Obeying to-day to the injunctions of (1) These are two great Vietnamese patriots; Phan- friends, we have decided to present to the waiting Chau-Trinhˆ and Phan-Boi-Chˆ. au.ˆ public some truths about the new doctrine, some *** observations and objective analyses. La Verit´ e´ (The Truth), also, made a report La Verit´ e´ (The Truth) (May II, 13, 38) that was later put out in pamphlet In the preface of the pamphlet, the author form (special edition of this daily of Phnom-Penh) adds these considerations: and from which we note the following extracts: Some have loosed on the spiritist origins of During the twelve years in which Caodaism the Caodaism much easy irony; they have tried to has developed in Indochina, it is to be noticed that no clothe off by ridicule, divine messages transmitted by serious objective study has yet been consecrated to it. the turning tables and the billed-basket. However this social and religious movement touches What is there then surprising, unexpected, in hundreds of thousands of human beings on an ever the eternal truth borrowing that vehicle instead of widening scale. The new religion feeling itself making itself heard oh a Sinai surrounded with cramped within the limits of its cradle, Cochinchina, lightnings and thunder, or expressing itself by the has sent its missionaries to Cambodia, to Annam and voice of inspired prophets or marvellous apparitions. to Tonkin, where it flatters itself with some success. Do not the efforts of a medium, elected to It has its temple in Paris, and ambition soon that mission, as noble as any, isn’t it at all so legiti- to bring the good word as far as China, Siam, India mate, offei as many guarantees as any voice chosen and Europe. until the present to help Heaven to communicate with The Vietnamese pride is thus expressed Earth? unexpectedly in a field of action that was unknown to As for the persecutions of which Caodaism ˛ Giao-Chı’s descendants. They brought nothing to has been the object and of which the era is perhaps human thought. Why? Mystery. not closed, may we not see therein the better proof of The Caodaism seems to despise the enigma its celestial origin and its supernatural character? All so put, for it pretends to the dignity of religion at the religions preaching like it justice and goodness, 124 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 125 founded like it on sacrifice and love, have known the human that we might reproach it? hostility of man, the rancour of the powerful, the Is it at all contradictory in that fusion of anger and reprobation of all those whose satisfied diverse religions, each keeping, of its primitive faith, egos they came to trouble, whose authority they the essence and what forms for all a kind of common shook, whose pride and tyranny they combatted. fund, that it must find means to make fraternity and To be persecutor or persecuted, to dominate the universal peace reign Over mankind? Here is how by force or to be a victim of violence, to impose faith the Supreme Master, in one of his messages, explains by arms or to accept martyrdom, there is not, in all the necessity of that fusion: history, other alternative for growing religions. Had Formerly, the peoples did not know one Caodaism any choice? Its only weapon is gentleness. another and lacked means of transport: I then It could oppose to its enemies, but its resignation and founded at different epochs, five branches of the confidence in the final triumph of justice; it could, on Great Way: Confucianism, the Worship of geniuses, submitting itself to the laws, but proclaim, without Christianism, Taoism, Buddhism, each based on the weakening, its invincible attachment to the truth customs of the race called particularly to apply them. come from Above; it could only endeavour to prove, Nowadays, all parts of the world are by its firmness and Constance, the authenticity of its exploited; people knowing each other better, aspire to divine mission. That is what it has done. a real peace. But because of the very multiplicity of And its persecutors have been forced to bow those religions, men. do not live always in harmony before such heroic and quiet courage, to recognize its one with another. That is why I decided to unite all right to life, to grant it freedom, the only favor it those religions in one to bring them to the primordial claims. unity. Victorious over force, now disarmed, it Moreover, the holy doctrine of those reli- remains to Caodaism to conquer the misunderstand- gions has been, through centuries, more and more ing of men, their blindness, their scepticism. These are denatured by those who have been charged to redoubtable enemies. spread, up to such a point that I have now firmly The other religions, of which it is the syn- resolved to come myself, to show you the way. thesis, have already confronted them. They have suc- It is then the whole world that now is offered ceeded: Why should’nt it, too, succeed? to the apostolate of Caodaism, heir of the antique Of what we can reproach it? Too much good doctrines that have already conquered the quasi- faith, too much sincerety, too much tolerance? Is it for unanimity of men. proposing an ideal too broadly, too fraternally The task shall be hard, for, as says the 126 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 127 message we have just read, men have forgotten the Our readers shall understand by this simple very principles of the doctrines which they pretend to letter the broad tolerance of the Caodaist spirit, which profess. They have sometimes conserved the letter; rejects no belief on account of its non-conformity or but have more often lost the spirit. its non-orthodoxy. Such an attitude honours the Cao- The task shall be hard, for though the land daists, notwithstanding all other social and philo- where the missionaries must go to prepare the mis- sophical considerations. sion is no longer tillable, it is full of parasitic and Ed. Note: poisonous plants as vigorous and solidly rooted as if Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac,´˘ Superior of Caodaism or all the evil human passions served them for manure. Reformed Buddhism, Holy See at Tay-Ninh,ˆ to the Never was the need more felt of reminding Director of La Verit´ e´, Phnom-Penh. men that they all are sons of one Father and that the Mr. Director, horrible fratricidal struggles, to which they gave The caodaist Sacerdocy and I are deeply themselves up yesterday, to which they are ready to touched by your high token of sympathy toward our submit to-morrow, shall cause the rum and the sor- religion: We have read your report with interest. row not only of themselves; but of their children, and Further, it is the only organ that has courageously their children’s children. defended our cause since the beginning. We can say Caodaism is a synonym of peace, fraternity, that it is our friend. This report is interesting from love. May the millions of the believers it shall some any point of view, save some little errors of documen- day count, and may that be soon, remember to inspire tation of which we beg you to be so kind as to grant their conduct by the eternal maxim, that is found in us hearing. the books of the Masters of all times, in which are Caodaism does not spring from the Minhlist summed up all science and all wisdom: "Love one movement. We recognize that the Minh-Ly´ was another". organized before us, but it is separated from us by a What is the point of view of the caodaist mystic and philosophical point of view. The truth is Sacerdocy on this report: it is La Verit´ e´ (The Truth) that the Vietnamese spiritualist movement came into gives it to us. being spontaneously with the help of no foreign con- Our objective inquiry communicated to the cept, doctrine or dogma. It was unforeseeable. We can orthodox Church of Caodaism has earned from its say that it was almost miraculous. As if led by an greatest Chief, the Superior Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac,´˘ the invisible power, the manifestation is latent. More- charming letter from which we cite below an excerpt over, this movement has been felt in all the world. All concerning the relation of the D- ai-. D- ao. to Minhlyism. the spiritualist organizations that were created after 128 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 129 the war were perhaps born of that unknown power. to the help of the Beyond to solve their difficulties. As for the Caodaists, a group, of intellectuals The first spiritist communication, given by the Spirits, gathered to search for the possibility of harmonizing in the form of a counsel, gives them the key to the the two civilizations, the Oriental and the Occidental. enigma. They have tried in this case to bring close the The conclusion is this: Faith derives from the two philosophies: Christianity and Confucianism. The Conscience, the Conscience is impossible of subordi- attempt is so encouraging by reason of the high nation. It differs according to the state of the spirit of morality of the great thinkers who thus converge each individual. It is impersonal and inalienable, toward the Good and the Beautiful. There exists, because it is God’s emanation (the universal Consci- then, a spot where ideas can meet and thus thoughts ence). So, a liberty of conscience for all human beings be united. Knowing this, the group of Vietnamese is proclaimed, but union in the spirit of the Beautiful Intellectuals took steps to prepare a field of mutual and the Good is obligatory, from which was born the understanding. They have begun very modestly first Caodaist doctrine: the doctrine of broad tolerance. by making a comparison between two philosophies One might say that Caodaism is a purely phi- while looking for an intermediary. They have had the losophical religion, whereas the Minh-Ly´ is a body satisfaction to see great ideas can no longer separate that limits itself to a cultural practice of the three thinkers of the human race. Morals are one, it is only Oriental religions: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucian- practise that differs. Here is to them an obstacle or a ism, mixed a little with hypnotical mysticism. catch. The power to act is not within the reach of com- It is a friend to Caodaism in its social man- mon men such as they. It is above their reach. A bit of ifestation, but it is not a blood brother. slowing down was seen in the Caodaist movement. We hope to be able to meet it in the practise These intellectuals seek for a way: unity of faith and of the Beautiful and the Good of which we make an practise of all religions. apostolate of propaganda. Without my describing it, you can guess the Signed: Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac.´˘ value of such an attempt. And here is one of the famous spiritualistic One of their friends came from France in the seances at the beginning of Caodaism: person of Captain Monnet. He is a spiritist. He took It was in 1926, I was living in an apartment of interest in the researches of these intellectuals, but the Audouit building, now become the Huynh-` d`-ınh- friendly understanding in the practise of all religious Khiemˆ building. At my home, there came in and out faiths escaped from him too. He advised them to con- young boys and girls, students, republicans, progres- sult the Spirits. That is to say they have had recourse sionists and revolutionary militants. 130 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 131

One Sunday morning, an unknown young in November, my friend was reminding me for the man came into my office, took a seat opposite me and Nth time of the marvels of turning tables, which he blurted out, without ceremony, these words which, had learned from the works of some promoters of however, did not astonish me: I have been, in fact, French Spiritism, now departed, Allan Kardec and accustomed to this kind of visit and proposition. Leon Denis. I threw out a categorical challenge as to - My dear friend, if you like, we are going to the veracity of these phenomena, defying to attempt strike up a friendship to study philosophy and poli- an experiment: He brought me at once to some tics together. You know, no doubt, better than I, what authentic chiefs of an occult school at that time newly relation these two activities have to each other. born, the later activities of which were to have a great In the feverish social and political atmo- influence on the formation and development of Cao- sphere in which we lived at that time, which seems daism: his school was called Minh-Ly-´ D- ao. , which may already strangely distant, I did not wonder either to be literally translated: The Way of Enlightened Reason. read on my caller’s card; Vietnamese Revolutionist. I hasten to acknowledge that I was placed in On the evening of the day before appearing the presence of extremely kind and honest men. They for the examination for the first part of his B.A., this were humble employees in administration and busi- good boy was expelled from school. His crime? To ness, eager for self-improvement and rising in society have written to Mr. Cognacq, at that time Governor thanks to their continued efforts. They were ten who of Cochinchina, to protest against a certain speech of gathered in a kind of coterie to discuss spiritualistic his. Since that moment, this student had set himself to philosophies, and then when the theories were well read enormously; to steep himself in various philo- asssimilated to a new canon they, created themselves, sophical systems; to be convinced of the necessity of a with a view to venerating their saints and sages. revolution. To manifest his new faith, he did not hesi- I was very surprised at their broad spiritual- tate to have his calling-cards printed as I have istic learning. They all were capable of citing for me showed above... entire passages of the greatest works of the spiritists. The fanatics of my friend type were so Better than their French Masters, they had the auda- numerous that I didn’t suspect him to be a provo- city to use Henri Durville, the renowned occultist, in

cateur. Later I found that my new friend was highly their pursuit of truth. educated; that he was versed in spiritualistic philoso- That is how one of the leaders, Mr. Xung´ ˛ , phies and that "spiritism" interested him particularly. kindly inaugurated the author’s relationship with his That is how I was led to know the movement of turn- group by a hypnotic experience. I confess, however, ing tables and medium communications. One evening that I found in it nothing truly conclusive. 132 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 133

After having me shut my eyes, he made vari- through Mr. Au-K´ˆ ıch. ous movements in the air with their two broad hands In fact, the latter having seized a big pencil all around my head without ever touching it. After a which had been placed beforehand on a small table quarter of an hour of this hypnotic preparation, he with some paper, set to transcribe the divine words, ordered me with a clear and caressing voice to incline his eyes closed. They explained to me that he was the my head in a certain direction, or to make certain ges- preferred "medium" of great spirits; venerated by the tures with my arms, which I did without difficulty. faithful, which the Bodiseatva Quan-Amˆ had dedi- The spectators who were members of the cated to me through the chief of the group. I was, in group and my friend X were visibly satisfied with the fact, very proud to learn that during my "former experience: As I insisted on attending a seance of existences" I had accomplished great works, and I some importance, Mr. Au-K´ˆ ıch, the most esteemed of was "exiled in this valley of tears" only to atone for the group, prepared it. the crime of pride of which I was guilty. I should On a table used as an altar, he had nine can- have been an unbearably proud man "in the course of dles placed triangularly: He then explained to me that my successive existences". the figure nine as well as the geometrical placement This my friends believe in mediumnity, that imply the number three (three angles in a triangle, is to say in communications with the "Beyond" and actually) and have a symbolic importance, that only consequently in the survival of the soul. Differing the initiate can understand. Then began the ceremony from the Catholics, they do not speak of eternal hell, of offerings. The members of the group prostrated but about transmigration of the soul, which, by themselves before the altar, the chief, Mr. Au-K´ˆ ıch leaving, the physical body, may live in other earths placing himself in the middle. They recited prayers to than ours. In this, they resemble the Buddhists, with, the Author of Creation and the gods. After the offer- however, this important restriction: whereas ing of their hearts, it was flowers, tea and alcohol. I Shakyamuni´s disciples admit that a human soul may noticed in their prayers the recognized themes of come back to the earth and live in the body of a beast, various Asiatic religions. Besides, their catechism Minh-Ly’s´ followers, more modern, reject this does not hide the fact that their philosophy is a syn- hypothesis,. In their new faith, the law of attraction thesis of the Buddhist, Confucianist and Taoist reli- replaces, in very unexpected fashion, the Buddhist gions. But here it was suddenly, that the chief drew transmigration of the soul. It is unnecessary then to strange movements in space with his right arm. All have the wicked come back to this earthly life in the fell silent as if by magic. - X. whispered in my ear that skin of a pig or a dog to atone for past faults: This the "Spirits" were going to make a communication would be moreover presenting the Author of 134 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 135

Creation as too cruel a judge. No, the law of attrac- room in our twenty Cochinchinese provinces for the tion, that plays in space, suffices for celestial justice. birth of a new faith. Such, who through a life of sacrifices should be If the Shakyamuni doctrine can be subdi- "deified" after death, thanks to the attraction, arrive at vided into two great schools: that of the Greater Vehi- a superior world in space. On the contrary, the cle also called "Northern" which comprises in Indo- wicked, the selfish "shall fall themselves", after their china the Vietnamese Buddhist population, and that departure from the earth, into a planet whose condi- of the Lesser Vehicle or "Southern", which influences tions of existence are still more painful. All this is Cambodia and Laos, why should it not be able to take done naturally, automatically, "as it were": upon itself the modern form of Caodaism? Though these latter lines are not very clear, We pass by all that is connected with the per- or are disputable from a latin spiritualistic point of secutions in this pamphlet. view (the Anglo-saxon spiritism does not admit of a Concerning the future of Caodaism, two return to the earth, but of progress in spheres of remarks: space), let us come to the "utility" of Caodaism: 1) Whatever one may say about Confucian- Nevertheless with the triumph of capitalism, ism, it was the "national religion" of China and Viet- the old Cochinchinese patriarcal economic structure nam. In these countries, the spiritual and the tem- was broken down. The Gia-Long Code which recog- poral powers are joined in one man’s hand, the nized only the collective personality of the village and Emperor’s, the Son of Heaven, consequently, master the family, thoroughly anti-individualistic, was abol- of soul and body of his subjects. To have religion, ished or almost so, in Cochinchina, where the indivi- there must be temples of worship or churches; a dual freedom recognized more or less by the modi- canon; a clergy. These conditions have been met by fied codes is the cause of the discard of Confucianism. the Nho doctrine. The temple of worship, is it the After all, the latter has really constituted a religion paternal house itself? While the "four classics" and with its Canon, its clergy, its temples, and not just a the "five canons" sum up the catechism of the "Saint morality. of the land of Lo",˜ˆ Confucius. The clergy was a society It is clear that under these conditions, a of men of letters who, in fact, held both powers, spiri- father’s authority as well as that of a husband or a tual and temporal, with, as a kind of Pope, the landowner, could be more threatened in Cochinchina Emperor, the Son of Heaven. than in other parts of Vietnam where the Gia-long The development of capitalism in Cochin- Code and Confucianism still retain their power. That china with its consequent abrogation of the Gia-Long is, in my opinion, the only reason why there was Code, an abrogation that favours individualism to the 136 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 137 detriment of Confucian collectivism, undermined since 1926 are characteristic of our epoch of free and favourable conditions to the survival of the religion of intensive thinking. We do not count the sects any the sages. It is thus, historically, that the dawn of new more; let us mention only the most important ones: religious sects, and particularly of Caodaism, must be Minh-Ly,´ Minh-Thien,ˆ. Minh-Tan,ˆ Cao-D- ai` . The latter is explained. subdivided into orthodox and un-ortbodox schools. 2) It is characteristic in our century of inter- Besides the churches of the "Reformed Buddhism" national capitalism, this religious Reform of ours is which have some right to pretend to the dignity of a contemporary with an Asiatic movement of the same philosophy, we notice the birth of sects with strange essence, the same historic mission. For, in Japan and practises. These are, no doubt, Chinese romantic rem- China, the tormented elements of the feudal bour- inders. Thus, we have seen General Nguyen-v˜ˆ an-˘ Di- `enˆ geoisie seek to create a social superstructure by with his disciples in open battle with the orthodox founding a thousand and one modern neo-buddhist religion of Tay-Ninh.ˆ Questioned by the authorities sects. The Caodaists and Minhlyists of our country regarding the attempted violation of the Caodaist will profit by comparing their doctrines with those of "Holy Land", all refused to talk. the Japanese and the Chinese Reforms. Also curious is the Nguyen-kim-Mu˜ˆ onˆ I add that the Minhly was but a new sect school, which does not fear to express in scarcely among many other sects that grew like mushrooms. veiled terms, beliefs related to Mahometan sensual- But it represented the sect the most disciplined, the ism. most educated from a philosophical point of view, All the sects of which we speak above were and which possessed a theory wholly expressed in its born almost simultaneously. All, without exception, catechism. claim to be a reform of Buddhism judged to be out of Caodaism (literally: religion of the High date. Throne), the founder of which was the late Le-vˆ an-˘ Surprisingly, Cochinchina, alone of all the Trung, quickly made contact with Minhlyism to bor- countries in the union, took the initiative in this kind row its theory, its worship, its ritual organization. But of religious Reform which furthermore, participates while Mr. Au-K´ˆ ıch’s proud school tends only to form in, perhaps without knowing it, the widest and most an elite, Caodaism addresses itself to the masses. general movement that includes China and Japan. Thus, it represents the characteristic features of a reli- In fact, in those countries, and particularly in gious organization of the mass. the land of the Rising Sun, we notice the beginning of The diversity and multiplicity of new reli- a thousand and one neo-buddhist sects that practise gious schools which have appeared in Cochinchina spiritism. Professor Chamberlain has exposed to the 138 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 139

European public the various philosophies of the 7-20-39); etc. etc... Japanese religious movement. But opposition between the European spirit Caodaism by its originally spiritualistic char- and the Asiatic religious conceptions often break out. acter is confused with certain new religious tenden- In the Nouvelle Revue (9-1-35), we can read cies of China and Japan of an occultist character. the confusion of it in the book: Buddhism, by Entai We have before our eyes documents which Tomomatsu. admit of no doubt: In presenting the book, Buddhism, of his "China, for many centuries, has known spiri- friend Entai Tomomatsu, the translator, Mr. Kui tualistic seances" (Psychic News, London, 4-8-39). Matsuo, himself the author of the Japanese Buddhist "Worship of spirits and practises of sorcery" (Opinion, Sects, as well as numerous works of philosophy and Sai-G` on,` 7-1-37). "The Dalai-Lama spoke in a German of delicate translations, Mr. Matsuo writes; "This dialect" (La Ricera Psichica, Milan, 11-38). "Toward the book is not the scholarly work of a specialist, but religious renaissance in Japan" (Vers une economie fra- merely a work intended for modern men and scepti- ternelle, Kagawa, p. 18). "Astral projection, automatic cal intellectuals." writing, dematerialization: The Baron of Meek proves In spite of the simplicity with which the doc- that it is in China people experiment the best medi- trine of Buddhism is exposed, it does not seem to us ums" (The Two Worlds, Manchester, 12-16-38). "Pearl that this work and especially the philosophy which he Buck declares that the Orient and the Occident must attempts to bring within the scope of the average combine" (The New York Times Magazine, 11-20-38). intelligence, can deeply penetrate the European "The Massacre of Animals" (by Jews) (The Two Worlds, masses, the principle of the "non-self" and that of 7-7-39). "A German scientific expedition in China and causality, as conceived by the Buddhists being found, Siam" (Gazette de Hongrie, Budapest, 10-29-38). "The for the Occidental mentality, too much in opposition festival of Wesak (Great Buddhist Feast)" (The Occult to the conception of the ’majority, that will always Review, London 1939, p. 167). "The survival of the past prefer to cast upon that entity, under the name of among the Japanese" (Tribune de Geneve 4-25-39). "The "Destiny", the responsibility of their sufferings, rather Kuatsu or the Japanese art of restoring the dead to than acknowledge "the natural, harvest of grain life" (O Astro, St Paul, Brazil, 10-38). "Spiritism in sown". That wich, in Mr. Entai Tomomatsu´s work, China They resuscitate the dead"! (The Two Worlds, seemed able to retain our attention most particularly 7-14-39). The Shinto (Revue theosophique, Paris 12-35) is, besides Buddha´s psychology, to which the author "Confucius, Laotze and the afterlife" (Light, London, restores his profoundly human sense, the statement 7-20-39). Buddhism in North India, and Burma (Light, of the attempt made by certain Japanese intellectuals 140 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 141 to bring Buddhism back to its original nobility by Sedir´ (p. 396) and his christic sect. freeing it from the conceptions of certain interested 1) Possibility of entering into relations with the sects, which, for believers, prayer, meditation with planetary beings of the solar system; crossed legs and especially offerings, contitute the 2) Our cosmos has no more secrets for them essential. because of their internal vision; That movement, to which we cannot help 3) Knowledge of the future; giving all our sympathy and which relies on the fact 4) Possibilities of acting on matter; that Buddha, since his satori (illumination) always 5) Transmission of sound to great distance; attached more punyas (merits) to the social act than to 6) Limited influence upon the actions of other the most earnest prayer, the most severe mortifica- men; tion, that movement, even if it must remain purely 7) Reading of others’ thoughts; Asiatic, is yet worthy to be known by us, for, permit- 8) Spontaneous understanding of all languages; ting the adaptation of Buddhism to the practical life, 9) Possibility of prolongation of the physical life it could be very beavy with consequences in the (Elixir of a long life); whole world. 10) Healing of sick persons; And if we consider that no text exists, facili- 11) Power of duplication, etc. tating the knowledge of Buddhism, we must thank For despicable little "Initiates", confined in a Mr. Entai Tomomatsu and his faithful translator for small corner of the Created, that is not so bad! having given us that work by way of introduction to But what is painful - and with which people the study of a philosophy able, so says the author, to play - is to oppose these possible faculties of the penetrate not only into an epoch, but all epochs. "Mahatmas" to Christ’s virtues, to denounce them as The opposition breaks out, still more bru- incompatible, in order to succeed by "cultivated tally, in such an echo as this: The secrets of the ignorance" to maintain the party spirit, instead of "Mahatmas" in Brazil. opening their arms to all men, without category or While the Bulletin des Amities Spirituelles (No distinction! Though some be not ready for that 40, page 17) sets itself to depreciate the "faith" of the universal embrace, we see that by limitation, being "superhumans" and to reduce them to proud little prejudiced, they try to impose it upon others. Luciferians compartmented in a corner of the Created O Astro (5-1-39) has estimated that in 1926, and wishing to dethrone God (sic). O Pensamento, there still were in Japan 71,281 Buddhist temples fre- Saint Paul’s great initiatic review passes in review the quented by 58,621,000 inhabitants. Where is Chris- faculties developed by those "initiates" despised by tianity in the Nippon Archipelago? According to La 142 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 143

Luz del Porvenir which borrows the details from the great spiritualistic association Oomoto Internacia (in CAODAIST RITUAL Esperanto) we believe now dissolved, and its leaders hunted down and incarcerated. Sixty years of The Holy See of Tay-Ninhˆ gathered in a evangelization by missionaries have succeeded in pamphlet various pages of the Revue Caodaiste (Cao- converting only 250,000 Japanese, a stable figure in. daist Review) and published in 1936 under the title spite of thee normous increase in population these "Caodaism or Reformed Buddhism" (3rd Amnesty of last years. At the same time, new sects and religions God in the Orient), with these words of introduction: with a Buddhist and Shintoist basis draw to them- The pages you are going to read are selves thousands and thousands of new believers: extracted from the Revue Caodaiste, published at Sai-` Comoto, for instance, counts more believers than Gon.` Christianity. We have been very careful to gather, classify A man to all men must say: and coordinate them into a small pamphlet that shall Li-Tai-Pe was for China what Homer was for present to the reader a summary statement of the Greece and Ossian for Scotland. scheme and the doctrine of Caodaism or Reformed Quan-Thanh-´ D- e-Quˆ´ anˆ was for China what Buddhism. Turenne was for France. May these modest selections help the seeker Buddha, Laotze, Confucius were what They after Truth to have an exact idea about the Caodaist are and Thee, Thou art a son of God as I am thy ideal in its principal traits. brother. Thy suffering is my suffering. Let my joy in The Caodaist Sacerdocy. being a son of God be thy joy in being my brother. We can perhaps notice already that prayer Buddha, Laotze, Confucius were what they constitutes the most important part in the Caodaist are and thou, and I, are sons of God. So as for Thee, worship: Here is how the Caodaist Dignitaries justify thou art I and I am thee. If thou understandest that, it: afterwards thou shalt understand peace, harmony We are reproached, for being uselessly and the joy of being. absorbed in long prayers, taking much time for this obligation which might be better employed other- wise. We should willingly acknowledge the cogency of the grounds for this reproach if the prayers we practise consisted in a monotonous recital of intelligi- ble words from which the thoughts of the heart were 144 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 145 excluded. But practised with intelligence and earnest- consequence. ness, energetic and full of unction, a prayer, an act of We also pray for the suffering, unhappy spir- faith, is not only an act of worship, but also an eleva- its, for whom we invoke divine mercy. tion of the heart, a spring of the soul toward the Thus performed, prayer constitutes one of Supreme Being. the necessary practises for the salvation of souls. In the existing state of their religious evolu- They who have some religious experience, tion; the mass of the Caodaist faithful need to acquire who speak about religious things not from the outside a will such as will permit them to resist material (as one curiosity that is well worth another: the point temptations under all circumstances, and to surround of view of Parisian journalists, in general), but from themselves with pure atmosphere which wards off the inside, shall recognize a great wisdom in these bad ideas and inferior influences of space. simple lines. That will, to be efficacious, must be sustained The Caodaist Symbolism. by faith. Now the repeated practise of prayer From the same pamphiet, we quote these strengthens that so precious faith, at the same time passages (p. 21): From the consciousness that man has attracting, by the purity of the heart, the protecting duties toward Got that created him, is born the feel- forces of the Beyond. Further, there is nothing more ing of adoration. The whole of the acts by which we ravishing, more sublime than examining one´s consci- witness to God that feeling of adoration constitutes ence, forgetting everyday, by hours of fervent prayer, what we call worship. This is true of Caodaist wor-

business and the world, to lift one´s thoughts toward ship. This is practised everyday, in temples as in

˛ God with Which one deals face to face. private homes, in four sessions (tu-th´ ˛ oi` ): at six o´clock Such is the aim of a prayer that must be daily a.m., at noon, at six o´clock p.m., then at midnight. practised by the simple faithful. Tomorrow, raised to Prostrated before the divine altar, in the leap of the

a superior degree of evolution, they shall know how soul toward the Supreme Being, we begin with the ˛

to bring it back to its abstract, interior form: medita- rite of the offering of incense (niem-hˆ. uong˛ ). Then tion. comes that of the opening of prayers (khai-kinh). From an invocatory point of view, we pray Those prayers once said, we set ourselves to for sick, unhappy persons, for which we beg God, not sing in chorus a song to the glory of God, then three the enjoyment of a material good, of a personal others in honour of The Three Saints. interest, but the prompt return to health or the favour Such is, in all its simplicity, the rite of daily of an occult moral support, empowering them to worship. As for the divine worship celebrated in tem- undergo, without weakness, a trial or a karmic ples on the days of great ceremony, there is a more 146 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 147 imposing ceremonial. In the beginning of the ages, the Universe, The dignitaries of the male sex, in their cos- we think, was constituted by the Monad, who is the tume of ceremony, the colour of which is determined Universal Soul, the nonmanifested form of God. by the branch to which they belong, prostrate them- By his manifestations, the Monad succes-

selves in transversal rows, on the mat spread before sively presented his two aspects male and female

˛

the divine altar which they face. On their right and (Luong-Nghi˜˛ ) represented on the altar by two kindled

˛ before the altar of Quan-Thanh´ D- e-Quˆ´ anˆ , kneel on fires (Luong-Nghi˜˛ Quang). another mat the followers of the same sex (Nam-phai´ ) Offerings: The offerings of flowers, alcoho all dressed in white with the traditional black turban land tea, respectively symbolize the three constitutive on their heads. elements of the human being: the Tinh, the Kh´ı and On the left and facing the altar of Quan-Amˆ the Th`anˆ .

B`o-Tˆ at´ , prostrated in the same manner as their - The Tinh, as its name shows, is the essence fellow-worshippers on the right, are the women (Nu-˜ ˛ of all matter, the cosmic sperm, without which no phai´ ) also dressed in white: as for dignitaries, they are light may be manifested. It is the sexual energy of distinguished from the simple believers by their spe- man and animal, the germinative virtue of plant. By cial costume. its evaporation, the Tinh, which resides in man, con- Prayers are everywhere the same; but here, stitutes the coarse part of the perispirit. It is to the they are set to music and recited according to com- perispirital body as the flesh is to the physical body. mand given by the masters of ceremony (Le-Sanh˜ˆ ). - The Kh´ı, which literally means breath, air, is The Caodaist worship, besides constituting in man, health, strength, vital energy. It is in the pen- an act of adoration, contains a symbolism, which in spint, the agent that unites the soul with the physical brief, we will explain to our readers: body, which it vivifies.

The disposition of the altar, such as described - The Th`anˆ , intelligent principle, is double in

˛ by Mr. G. Coulet, is but the symbol of the fusion in the human being, the superior mental (duong-th˛ `anˆ or unity of five branches of the Great Way (Ngu-Chi˜ h`on)ˆ is the divine Spirit in man; the inferior mental D- ai-. D- ao. ). But the objects of worship, the offerings, (am-thˆ `anˆ or phach)´ is the most subtile part of the per- etc... bear a secret seal, a symbolic meaning. ispirit. The objects of worship: In the middle of the To convert sexual energy into vital energy

altar, is constantly kept lit a lamp with a spherical (luyenˆ tinh hoa´ kh´ı), vital energy into mental energy ˛ .

glass (Thai-C´ uc-D- ang˘ ) symbolyzing the Universal (luyenˆ kh´ı hoa´ th`anˆ ), such is the processus of the mysti- . ˛ . Monad (Thai-C´ uc. ). cal purification of the three constitutive elements of 148 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 149 the human being. beautifies. Before him, the way of salvation is now As for the sticks of incense we burn at each open: the karmic liberation. ceremony, they are invariably five. Now this sym- From that symbolism, as simple as powerful,

bolic number represents the five degrees of Initiation: emanates the great constructive and universal lesson ˛ ˛ ˛

1) Giai-Huong: purity (Shila); of the human brotherhood.

˛

2) D- inh-Huong:˛ meditation (Dhyana); It is important for the good of bruised and ˛ . ˛

3) Hue-Hˆ uong: wisdom (Prajna); suffering humanity, that every people forget its per- ˛ . ˛

4) Tri-kien-Hˆ´ uong: superior knowledge (Djnana); sonal interest to think but of those of the whole; that ˛ ˛ ˛ 5) Giai-thoat-H´ uong: karmic liberation (Apayarga). they forgive one another in all manifestations of To be admitted to the threshold of Initiation, thought and faith; that they at last show to one the first condition for the worshipper is purity in all another the broadest tolerance. You may object that in its form: purity of body, action, language, and the actual state of human mentality, more prone to thought. egoism than altruism, talking about universal frater- Once the threshold is crossed, he sets himself nity, is equivalent to dreaming of Utopia. This objec- to meditation. By this spiritual exercise, the believer tion is unfortunately plausible and shall remain such, whose thoughts and sensations stand aloof from the so long as man shall be conceived as a body rather world of sense, lifts his soul toward the Superior Self, than a spirit; for, said Annie Besant, matter grows by with which he is put into close contact. In the tete-ˆ a-` taking round it, constantly adopting what is exterior teteˆ of this inner withdrawal carried the completest to it, and incorporating it into what it already possible abstraction where the human soul seeks to possesses. Material things are worn out and finally identify itself with the universal Soul, truths shine lit- perish in the use, and as their quantity is limited, they tle by little into the worshipper’s spirit, no longer, who desire to possess it are numerous, struggles lured by the illusory appearances of anything in the spring up between these latter. Earning, possession world. are in effect the conditions of material success. At the highest degree of ascension, he feels in But when man begins to conceive himself as his being the full wakening of the superior a spirit rather than a body, he understands that divid- knowledge that permits him to perceive all eternal ing and giving are the conditions of growth and truths and embrace, without the least effort, the power. Spiritual riches increase in fact in the use; whole of the past and future. In this state of supreme they never perish; when they are given, they are mul- wisdom, he can contemplate without being dazzled, tiplied; when they are divided, their possession, their the divine Light, a light that, purifies, illumines and assimilation but become more complete. Brotherhood 150 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 151 must come from the Spirit and be spread outside, To reach summits, after trials, a Caodaist through domains of intellect and emotion, to finally disposes of the "Cell, of meditation": The cell of medi- affirm themselves in the material world. It shall never tation is a place where faithful are admitted to receive be established by law imposed from outside, it must Initiation.

triumph by the Spirit overflowing from within. Every believer who asks to be admitted ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ One day, the petty king Cung-Vuong of So’s there, must conform to the following rules:

principality lost a hunting crossbow. His officers were Art. 1: He must have fulfilled his moral duties ˛ ˛

ready to go and seek it, but Cung-Vuong˛ prevented (Nhon-D- ao. ) and an exclusively vegetarian diet for them, saying: "What is the use of fetching it. Bear in more than six months.

mind that we don’t lose anything; when a crossbow Art. 2: He must be presented by a member more ˛ ˛ mislaid by an inhabitant of So is soon found again by virtuous than he. another inhabitant of the same principality". Confu- Art. 3: All written communication with the out-

cius having heard those words, commented: "What a side shall be forbidden to him, except with his

˛ regrettable limitation in Cung-Vuong˛ ’s feeling of fra- parents, on condition that it be read beforehand by ternity! Would he not better have said: a man lost a the Superior of the institution. crossbow, another man shall find it". So expressed, the Art. 4: He must refuse access to the establishment concept of human fraternity by the great Chinese phi- to all strangers to the religion, though they be officials losopher appears more beautiful, more striking, more or members of his own family. concise. Art. 5: He is forbidden to converse with persons On this splendid plane of human fraternity, from outside; however, he may receive the call of his Christ disciples and Hiram’s sons, the followers of parents or children with the Superior’s authorization. Buddha, Confucius, Laotze and enthusiasts of theoso- Art. 6: He must abstain himself from chewing phy, spiritism, and occultism, find themselves united betel, smoking tobacco and eating anything besides in their common desire to build the Temple of meals served by the institution. Humanity. Let us help with all our might, this frater- Art. 7: He must have a calm spirit, a quiet consci- nal union, this constructive cooperation, that we no ence. He must live on good terms with his cell-mates longer need blush for the crimes and atrocities with and avoid loud conversation; he must help them in which we have till now bloodied so many centuries of religious practise. History! It is time, past time, to redeem so much of Art. 8: He must obey all injunctions of the Supe- barbarity. rior and practise spiritual exercises following the Let us pray! meditate! become living temples. scheduled prescriptions fixed by the latter. 152 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 153

How many Occidentals give themselves up others, the nature of which medical science still is to prayer? I mean a free and spontaneous prayer. impotent to discover, still more impotent to heal. How many Occidentals give themselves up The vegetarian diet generally brings a sweet- to meditation? ness to man, always sound in body and spirit. Yes, I repeat: in spiritual matter, we Occiden- Since it is a matter of habit, we only ask new tals are illiterates. adherents for six days per month. Even if the great Architect of the Universe 2) Altar: Yes, you ought to have an altar. All was but an illusion, a lure, a word, prayer should be you said in your letter is the exact truth. You must useful, meditation should be useful. In our crass, m always share in the divine communion of ideas to the our antirehgious frenzy, we have banished both from full, and the altar is there to remind you. A common our daily practises, from our spiritual exercises of prayer at a fixed time really puts the spirit of every everyday! But here, perhaps, a new science; Cosmo- one of us in the community of thought and gives a biology (with its great poet: Theo´ Varlet), brings us reflex in the divine astral that our Master (God) leads. back softly, not to frighten us. Strong spirits are gen- Did not Christ say, that where two of you shall agree tle people, who do not like to be cheated. in prayer, your plea shall be heard? We then may put Counsels to a Caodaist of Europe. ourselves in spirit under the eternal paternity of God. Reformed Buddhism is broad tolerance, it is The European, more than the Asiatic, must the junction of all ways followed till now by people always have an altar in his house. In fact, he must who would move toward the Divine. You are going work more than an Asiatic, for life is more difficult, to cry that we are pretentious. Must we not suffer in and he must struggle from morning to evening for his imitation of the Saviour, while doing a little good daily bread. And his altar is there to remind him of around us? his duties toward his Creator, when he comes home. 1) Vegetarian diet: You may begin by observ- We must avoid numerous rites that smell of ing ten monthly days. We abandon the flesh diet, charlatanism or heresy; but we must not radically do because we would shun to bring suffering to beings away with them. Intellectuals and scholars are gen- that, though less evolved than we, yet know how to erally brought to extremes; they are either atheists or surfer as we. Medically speaking, man, because of his believers to the point of intolerance not to say fana- constitution, is not created to feed on flesh which his tism. Let us be of the "golden mean" as the Sage Con- digestive organ ill supports. Besides, animals are ill as fucius recommends. In case of death, gather as many we, it is difficult to perceive it and men feed on sick as possible of our Caodaist brethren for common parts. Man’s sickness added to the animals’, creates prayers. These prayers are intended to facilitate the 154 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 155 disincarnation of the dead and, by the force of con- and looks after the application of law, and is the Chief centrated thoughts, we lift the spirit of the dead of Hiep-Thiˆ. en-ˆ D- ai` (place of meeting between God and toward superior planes which he alone cannot reach Humanity). Hiepˆ. : union; Thienˆ : God; God united with by his own efforts. men or men united with God. As for you, think of living long enough to A) The former is attended by dignitaries propagate the new Faith, for the glory of our Divine enumerated in the pamphlet Le Caodaisme ou Boud- Master. For us who know the death here-below is but dhisme Renov´ e´, pages 35 and next in the chapter the resurrection in the Beyond, death does not make "Notre code religieux". us afraid; it is to us, on the contrary, a deliverance. The dignitaries of the "Confucianist" Branch Yet, while we still may do a little material and moral (Ngoc. , Vietnamese name) wear a purple gown which good around us, we still must live long enough to ful- signifies "authority". fil the mission incumbent upon us. We only may pro- Those of the "Buddhist" Branch (Thai´ ) wear a

gress and approach Divinity by a moral perfection of "saffron yellow" gown (symbol of virtue). ˛

the soul, which is manifested by acts of charity and Those of the "Taoist" Branch (Thuong˛. ) dresss

love. These are the only that empower us to enter into in azure, symbol of Tolerance or Pacifism. ˛ ˛ God’s apanage. Only the Giao-T´ ongˆ and the Chuong-Phap´ of 3) Dignitaries: God’s universal government the "Taoist" Branch dress in white. consists of two distinct branches: the one is a govern- Lady-dignitaries also dress in white. ment of souls and beings and the other, instruction Dignitaries of the same grade, either Confuci- and education. anists, or Taoists, or Buddhists have the same attri- Most founders of religions belong only to the butes, which are defined in the above-mentioned second branch: Branch of instructors. They are great "Religious Code". They are distinguished only by the legislators of God in this world. As God does not colour of their costume. desire that, on earth, one man should hold all divine When one of them is alone in a parish, he is power, he divides it into two and commits it to two the chief there, must see to everything and know highest dignitaries. everything. But when they are many in the same par-

- The Giao-T´ ongˆ holds the power and is the ish, the Superior of that parish may entrust them with ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ Chief of Cuu-Trung-` D- ai` ; Cuu: nine; Trung` : planes; D- ai` : the following works, based on their aptitudes, palace (nine degrees of the angelic or divine Hierar- knowledges or on the branches to which they belong: chy and symbol of nine divine planes). The Reds (Confucianists) may take charge of per- - The Ho-Phˆ. ap´ is in charge of religious justice sonnel, rites and order. 156 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 157

The Blues (Taoists) take care of the interior organ- These fifteen dignitaries form a Counsel ization, office-works, instruction, education of the having the right of jurisdiction and control. They faithful, and charitable institutions. communicate with God and Spirits as mediums. The Yellows (Buddhists) see to finances, building, They are seconded by a body of twelve works, and various exchanges. academicians only some of which have been named. B) The Ho-Phˆ. ap´ is attended by the two fol- To accede to these grades, one must begin by

lowing colla borators: being: Archivist-secretary, then Registrar, Commissar ˛ ˛

The Thuong-Ph˛. amˆ who leads souls toward of Justice, Lawyer, Inspector, Chancellor and Instruc-

Nirvana. tor. ˛

The Thuong-Sanh˛. who looks after men and When an Instructor has converted a nation, brings them toward the D- ao. (the Way and the Truth). he may, according to vacancies, successively accede, Each of these three great dignitaries has four to one of the grades Tiepˆ´ , then Khai, afterwards Hienˆ´ , ˛ immediate collaborators of the following branches (a next Bao, and to one of the three above-mentioned little detailed explanation): highest dignities. According also to his previous The "Phap´ " Branch (mysticism) has as a Chief acquisitions, he shall be in one of the Three Branches ˛ the Ho-Phˆ ap´ who manages: Phap,´ Bao or Theˆ´.

. ˛ The Bao-Phap´ , protector of established laws (mys- The High Dignitaries of "Hiep-Thiˆ. en-ˆ D- ai` " are tic side); charged with the instruction and education of

The Hien-Phˆ´ ap´ , he who seeks the Beautiful, the humanity, religious justice and control of the acts of ˛ ˛ Good for the improving of what exists; those of Cuu-Trung-` D- ai` , without, however, being able The Khai-Phap´ , propagator; to interfere themselves in the government and The Tiep-Phˆ´ ap´ , he who helps in the application of administration of the sacerdocy. They are legislators. laws and receives all complaints or suggestions. They also have a mission to propagate the new Faith

The "D- ao" Branch (religious life) has as a by every means: press, meetings, etc. and to take care ˛ ˛ ˛ . ˛ Chief the Thuong-Ph. amˆ who looks after: The Bao-D- ao,. of the improvement and progress of Letters, Arts and Hien-ˆ´ D- ao,. Khai-D- ao,. Tiep-ˆ´ D- ao. , (same prerogatives as everything that shall serve to help humanity to live above, but in their branch). with less suffering and in moral well-being.

The "Theˆ´" Branch (social life) has as a Chief the I am of the "Taoist" Branch, as are a great ˛ ˛ ˛ Thuong-Sanh. who sees to: The Bao-The,ˆ´ Hien-Thˆ´ e,ˆ´ number of dignitaries of the Foreign Mission, who are Khai-The,ˆ´ Tiep-Thˆ´ eˆ´, (same prerogatives as above, but in Spirits of Bach-V. an-ˆ D- ongˆ. (of the White Lodge) their branch). presently reincarnated to work for the success of the 158 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 159 third Amnesty of God in the Orient. sanctification of the being). The aura of each of us, according to the In private houses: God’s Altar may also be Divine Plane to which he belongs, has a particular installed above the chimney of the sitting-room by coloration: blue, yellow, red or serene white. The furnishing it with objects of worship, without being in Branch of each of us may be revealed only by Guide- need of the small house described above. Spirits or our Divine Master, from our entry as God’s Altar may also be installed on a table, members of the Sacerdocy, that is to say as digni- higher than ordinary tables, set against the wall in the taries, beginning with Le-Sanh˜ˆ (student-priest). room of honour of the house. 4) Hymns: As for hymns, we have them only Hours: Prayers are said four times a day.

in Vietnamese. There are prayers that date back to 1) between 5 and 7 o´clock a.m. ˛ ˛

1.200 years ago which Han-S` on-T˛ u. lamas (Han-S` on’s 2) between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. pagoda) at Co-Tˆ o-Thˆ anh` (Co-Tˆ oˆ city) obtained in spiri- 3) between 5 and 7 p.m. tist seances. Their translation is impossible to us at 4) between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. present. We shall later ask the spirists’ help for Euro- Offerings: We offer tea in the morning and pean prayers. Very probably, Victor Hugo´s spirit or evening, wine at noon and midnight. Saint Joan of Arc will come for that purpose. I shall The tea is offered in a cup set beside another cup, not fail to send them to you if need be. These few containing pure water; as for the wine, we put it in counsels should be sufficient to prove - once more - three liquor glasses. Cups and glasses must be that Caodaism does not speak only to illiterate amor- covered when not in use. phous masses, for which life is a kind of animal half- On the first and fifteenth day of the lunar sleep, but also to evolved and uplifted minds, with month and on feast-days, we offer flowers and fruits. mystic tendencies who need intense religious satisfac- In the middle of the table of God’s Altar, we tion. put a small night-light that must be lit day and night God’s Altar and Offerings for the flame represents the divine fire or divine light God’s Altar: The Altar resembles a small illuminating the Universe. house closed on three sides, the front being open, we In time of prayer, we light two candles and put there a curtain. In time of prayer, we pull the cur- five sticks of incense. We burn only sandal-wood in tain to expose a religious emblem (divine conscience), the great ceremonies. we light a pair of candles, five sticks of incense and Signification of the disposition of offerings: We sandal-wood (symbol of the five constitutive elements are taught in Bach-Ng. oc-Kinh. (Nirvana) that our of man in a state of purification (complete Supreme Master’s throne is in the North, the rising is 160 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 161 on the left, and the setting on the right. The infusion of those dry flowers, well It follows from this teaching that wherever preserved and transformed into decoction, can heal

God’s Altar is installed, the divine Eye is in the the sick who sincerely believe in the miracles of the

˛ North, then the rising or "duong˛ " is on the left and the Creator. setting or "amˆ " is on the right. The three essential elements (Tam-Tai` ) of the

In the Universe, there are two principles "amˆ " Universe are Heaven (Thienˆ ), Earth (D- ia), and ˛ ˛ ˛ . and "duong" that form the origin of all creation. Humanity (Nhon). The Heaven is essentially consti-

1) The two candles symbolize the two mascu- tuted by the Sun (Nhut. ˛), the Moon (Nguyetˆ. ) and the

line and feminine Logos united for production in gen- Stars (Tinh).

˛ eral; the lunar and solar light (amˆ duong˛ ) still con- The Earth is essentially constituted by water ˛ ˛

serves the image of that productive power. The left (Thuy), fire (Hoa) and ether (Phong).

˛ candle representing the solar light (duong˛ ) must be lit Man is essentially constituted by matter first. (Tinh), the vital essence (Kh´ı), the soul (Th`anˆ ). 2) The five sticks of incense represent the five Offerings represent the three essential ele- senses of man. ments of our constitution. Flowers represent matter, 3) The three glasses of wine represent the wine, the vital energy and tea, the soul. astral being or our vital energy. Wine is the true Rites and prayers. essence of vine as vitality is the essence of being. Vine Before broaching the subject of rites, I must and grape represent matter or our material body. give you the explanation of "lay. ". Grape juice represents our vital energy or our astral. In our country, "lay. " are exterior marks of Wine is the spirit of the vine and the grape, it then veneration which we inwardly manifest to God, symbolizes the divine spirit of our being or soul. Superior Spirits, Sovereigns, the dead and our

4) The cup of pure water that symbolizes the parents. They are, then, by no means humiliating, as ˛

"duong˛ " must be put on the left of the divine Eye and some think. To make "lay. ", we first begin by clasping the cup of tea that symbolizes the "amˆ " must be put on the hands (mark of absolute confidence) in the follow-

the right, (this tea and water is put together and ing way.

˛ forms holy water (amˆ duong˛ ). The holy water may be We put the thumb of the left hand on the bot- given as a drink to sick persons who have made ear- tom of the ring-finger and we close the hand. We

nest prayers, and received baptism). cover the left hand with the right by putting the

˛ Flowers representing the "duong˛ " must be put thumb of the right hand on the bottom of the index- on the left and fruits the "amˆ " on the right. finger of the left hand. 162 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 163

Explanation of the position of both hands so according to the width of the room, being careful not joined: The Heaven was created in the year Ty´ and to touch one another and leaving a free space in the Humanity in the year D`anˆ , that is why we put the middle, distinctly separating men from women, then thumb of the left hand at the place of the year "Ty´", they turn toward the altar, their eyes looking fixedly and that of the right hand at the place of the year at the Divine Eye, jhe priest and faithful bow deeply "D`anˆ "... three times before the altar, then kneel; move the left In a standing position, we put the joined foot a little forward) then fold the right foot first, then hands at the middle of the breast. Before prostrating the left. ourselves, we bow deeply three times making an up They then make the following signs: first of and down movement with both arms forming a circle all they bring both hands still joined up to the fore- (the hands still joined) as a token of the offering of head, saying "Nam-Mo-Phˆ atˆ. " (in Buddha´s name) our ardent hearts to God. (related to God). To make "lay. ", one kneels, bringing the Afterwards, on the left, lip to the ear, saying joined hands up to the forehead, lowering the open "Nam-Mo-Phˆ ap´ " (related to Nature). hands to the floor with crossed thumbs, and making Then, on the right, up to the ear, saying "lay. " by striking the head On both hands a certain "Nam-Mo-Tˆ ang˘ " (related to Humanity). number of times according to the grade of the. Spirit Then, on the breast, uttering the five sacra- to which the "lay. " are made. mental invocations as follows: At the appointed time for public prayers, the 1) Nam-Moˆ Cao-D- ai` Tien-ˆ Ongˆ D- ai-B. `o-Tˆ at´ Ma-Ha- faithful gathered in a room reserved for worship. Tat´ (God); They line up standing in two rows all along the room, 2) Nam-Moˆ Quan-The-ˆ´Amˆ B`o-Tˆ at´ Ma-Ha-Tat´ (Bud-

the hands joined and laid on the breast; priests in cos- dha); ˛ ˛ tume of ceremony in the first row; men place them- 3) Nam-Moˆ Ly-Th´ ai-B´ ach. Tien-Trˆ uong (Taoism); selves on the left, women on the right, at first face to 4) Nam-Moˆ Hiep-Thiˆ. enˆ D- ai-. D- eˆ´ Quan-Thanh´ D- e-ˆ´ face. As soon as everything is ready, they put them- Quanˆ ; (Representatives of the three great religions:

selves in a respectful position. Men and women salute Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism). ˛ ˛ ˛

one another by an inclination of the head and by the 5) Nam-Moˆ chu ˛Phat,ˆ. chu Tien,ˆ chu Thanh,´ chu Th`anˆ up and down motion with both arms widened into a (Superior Spirits). circle, the hands joined. Then, groups of men and Make a deep bow after each invocation. women move toward one another in such a way as to After each prayer, make three "lay. ", that is to form rows of three or four persons or even more, say to bow three times; each time, touch the floor by 164 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 165 your forehead: In prayer, a faithful asks his Divine They salute one another by a bow of the head Master to raise him in wisdom, to give him and withdraw. enough strength and courage to follow the Way (D- ao). Ho-Phˆ. ap’s´ altar: For the time being, one can traced by God and to give to Humanity the peace so place against the wall a little table on which we put a often promised. A priest, besides his requests, prays pair of candle-sticks, a vase for sticks of incense, a to the Divine Master to protect him for propagating vase for sandal-wood, a glass for wine, a tea-cup, a the Holy Doctrine, to teach him to know how to water-cup, a flower-pot, a fruit-saucer. On the wall is suffer that Humanity may leave in peace and to make hung a frame upon which are written these words: universal peace reign. "Ho-Phˆ. ap´ " (Buddha, Guardian of Nirvana, protector of The faithful must follow their priest with the faithful) and the sign "Kh´ı" or "Vital Breath" that devotion in all his movements. resuscitates dying Humanity. On feast-days, at the beginning of the The Priests are careful, before the end of each ceremony, the officiating priest holds in his hands the great ceremony, to deliver a sermon exhorting the five sticks of incense, while he makes the signs and faithful to believe in God, the Creator and Common utters the sacramental invocations; afterwards he Father of all, to love one another, to gather souls for passes the sticks of incense to one of his assistants the Universal Peace. (standing near the altar). The latter plants them in a Nota Bene: As some are not accustomed to the

vase ad hoc. "lay", we can at present replace it by a deep reverence. ˛ ˛ . ˛ At present, we have only prayers in Viet- Signed: Thuong-Trung-Nh. ut.. namese. We pray to God in view of obtaining prayers *** in French. Meanwhile, the faith-ful make invocations This ritual may seem complicated to and form vows: Occidentals, even those of good will, who may At the end of the ceremony of worship, the experience a certain revulsion in playing at choir boy. assistants make "lay. ", stand up (always the right foot In its liberalism, in its spirit of tolerance, Caodaism first), bow deeply before the altar three times, make a allows great simplications, especially among certain half-turn from right to left, turn toward Ho-Phˆ. ap´ ’s European and American people not very demonstra- altar (Buddha, Guardian of Nirvana) erected in front tive in matters of faith. of the Divine Master’s altar and pay reverence to, Furthermore, here is the extract of a Divine him. Then, they come back to line up as at the begin- Message of the 18th of October 1936, a model of... ning of the ceremony face to face and each one at his A CAODAIST LIFE place. Learn and practise my Doctrine according to the 166 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 167 good Lord’s rythm. Do not encumber it with your own twaddle after- SPIRITUAL DIRECTIONS wards loading it with a thousand erasures! (laughter) (Extract of a letter) Those who understood Holiness, shall know that my Law does not deliver to anybody his unfathom- There are a great many things that transcend able Enigma. the human understanding, that the human language ... is absolutely incapable to describe. So, the spirits who Live simply as the rest of mortals; are manifested to us, have always recommended to us But try to purify, in obscurity, the soul and the not to waste time in seeking to penetrate mysteries body. that they themselves are not in a position to unveil. My Doctrine does not impose upon you garments Let us seek to know the Truth, which we need at dyed in the bark of the gia`; present for our guidance, that we may not be in Nor oblige you to shave your beard and hair, nor doubt; once having found it, let us persevere in that to abandon your family! way. In giving us this recommendation, the spirits do ... not intend to prevent us from seeking to know, to While your parents and grand-parents live. You sound out mysteries, progressing day by day now, must religiously pay your debt of filial Piety. Spouses such is not their intention. They fear that we will piously marry for life., waste our time looking for things that are not abso- Keep that Holy Alliance pure as a Lotus that lives lutely useful. ˛

in mud and is not impregnated with its smell. You may affirm to your friends that Khong-ˆ ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ ... Tu (or Kungtze), Lao-T˜ u (or Laotze), Gautama, Jesus Play wisely the Imbecile or the Idiot. of Nazareth, are but instructors, reflexes of the And do not display to others the Piety you keep Cosmic mentality who is not a God distinctly at the bottom of your heart. 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 conscious- ness of our weakness, in order to make us modest, to incite us to acquire more qualities, more virtues, to 168 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 169 reach perfection. We must by our own means, pro- five volumes called "Xuan-Thuˆ ": Xuanˆ : Spring; Thu: gress, evolve more and more. Every one has what he Autumn. needs to reach Divinity; a Spirit may create a world It is a social work written by Confucius in the which he shall be the Master of. form of a Gospel and which signifies moral perfec- In my last letter, I explained to you the rea- tion, teaching, besides rites, divination of oracles, son why we were led to forbid the faithful to dabble literature, music and the rules of Humanity: "duties of in communications with the Spirits by the means of man, citizen, father and mother, husband and wife, un-official mediums. Notice that the formula of the son, brother and sister, master and pupil, public offi- oath dictated in the Same spirit by our Divine Master cial, sovereign, even duties toward animals and also tends to make us aware of the manoeuvres of ill plants". spirits and that in dictating this formula, God knew It is the symbol of Confucianism. This book is that He was addressing followers who were in gen- called Xuan-Thuˆ for Confucius’ idea makes human eral Vietnamese, the majority of which, ignorant of morals sprout and fructify as the Spring and Autumn Satan’s temptations, should be easily seduced by him, which are two seasons having days and nights of which unfortunately has happened in recent years. equal length and easy to bear. Christ had foretold Antichrist and the predic- b) the cylinder represents a big bowl, in tion was fulfilled. In Cochinchiha, before and after the which Buddha Shakyamuni in his days, was accus- foundation of the new Doctrine, Antichrists had come tomed to receive food offered by his followers. Heir and founded religious sects to sow division, to lead presumptive of the richest monarch, the mightiest men astray from the way of Truth. They used all stra- kingdom of India, the prince Siddharta, later become tagems and found numerous victims. the Buddha Shakyamuni, had the courage to leave all As you see, the formula of the oath found its his worldly wealth to go and seek in solitude Peace of justification among us Vietnamese. soul and heart and Truth. He had to beg for his living Ho-Phˆ. ap´ and his insignia. to nourish his body in view of propagating the Faith (Ho:ˆ. to protect; Phap´ : law, rule, sign, symbol). he had acquired. You distinguish three distinct objects that are The bowl is called "B`ınh-Bat-Du´ ": B`ınh: basin; Ho-Phˆ. ap´ ’s insignia: Bat´ : bowl; Du (pronounced You): to beg (a bowl in the - a kind of cube bearing the words "Xuan-Thuˆ "; form of a basin to receive alms), is the symbol of - a sort of cylinder; detachment from the riches of this world, abnegation, - a kind of stick having at one end a tuft of hair. renunciation, total disinterestedness of life (asceti- a) the cube represents a book consisting of cism). 170 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 171

It is the insignia of Buddhism. each member, the peace of his spirit and heart, the c) The stick ornamented with a tuft of hair is progress of his evolution. The Pho-Tr´ i-Su.˛ wears a ˛ ˛ . called "Phat-Chˆ´ u": Phatˆ´ : to move or drive; Chu: dust; gown ornamented at the collar with a band of ribbon or Phat-Trˆ´ `anˆ (drive impurities from this world) sym- made of silver-white woven thread, and at the left bolizes the moral exercise that consists in purifying arm a bit a tricoloured ribbon: yellow: Buddhism; itself day by day from all faults. As its name indicates, blue: Taoism; red: Confucianism. This is the exterior ˛

Phat-Chˆ´ u is used to drive impurities from this world. reflection of the three doctrines.

˛

It is the symbol of Taoism, the symbol of pur- The Chanh-Tr´ i-Su ˛is called D- `au-Sˆ u Em (D- `auˆ : ˛ . . ity of sentiment. first, Su: master, Em: younger brother) or first master

In short, the three doctrines: "Confucianism, of the younger brother, or the eldest in the village. Taoism, Buddhism" (Christianity being considered as The D- `au-Sˆ u ˛received two powers conferred by Giao-´

one of the branches of Confucianism), are the three Tongˆ and Ho-Phˆ. ap´ . The Chanh-Tr´ i-S. u. ˛then fulfils Giao-´ stages of the evolution of soul, the three degrees of Tongˆ and Ho-Phˆ. ap´ ’s authorities in the village. He initiation that bring the spirit toward pure divinity. wears a white gown ornamented at the collar with a The three above-described objects united strip of ribbon made of golden-yellow woven thread

form Ho-Phˆ ap´ ’s insignia, for this dignitary, spiritually and on the left arm a bit of tricoloured ribbon of a size . ˛ speaking, is entrusted with the responsibility of unit- larger than that of the Pho-Tr´ i-S. u. . He has on his tur- ing the three doctrines and to see men live in peace ban Ho-Phˆ. ap´ ’s insignia. and in respect of the laws of evolution. Our Holy See is now engaged in producing a

The Thong-Sˆ u. ,˛ called Ho-Phˆ. ap´ Em (Em: translation of Phap-Ch´ anh-Truy´ `enˆ : younger brother; Ho-Phˆ. ap´ ’s miniature), for he inherits Phap´ : Law, rule, sign, symbol, etc. everything that from Ho-Phˆ. ap´ a little part of his authority, that of comes from the Law of evolution; rendering justice to his brethren of his hamlet, wears Chanh´ : stable, infallible, inviolable, perfect correc- on his gown of ceremony, on the right and left of the tion (the golden mean of all); breast, two badges (the three insignia put side by Truy`enˆ : order, constitution. side) and on the turban, just at the middle of the fore- Phap-Ch´ anh-´ Truy`enˆ : rules of the inviolable head, the same badge. constitution.

The Pho-Tr´ i-S. u. ˛is called Giao-T´ ongˆ Em (Giao-´ The Author of these Rules is our Divine Mas- Tongˆ in miniature) because he represents in his ham- ter Cao-D- ai` who dictated them to us by mediumnic let the Giao-T´ ongˆ who personifies love toward all communications. beings, who lovingly looks after every act of life of May we repeat: these explanations, though 172 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 173 very summary, can yet appear very complicated for without a mascot or a fetish, to lunch or dine in the the Occidental who is frightened by the minuteness of number of thirteen, to cross the arms of friends in detail, characteristic of Oriental worships. Let them be shaking hands at departure, etc... assured: here too, always, Caodaism admits great The "unaccustomed" has always been the tar- simplifications in certain countries. get of our sarcasms and repulsions, what a poor and As for children of European type of which weak man we are! you spoke to me in one of your letters, scoffers will The Caodaist experience in Europe has pro- say that they result from a crossing. But, by serious voked these conclusions from a brother in Cao-D- ai:` study, and observation, we are able to affirm that Certain formulas, certain external aspects of these children are born of honest mothers of Viet- Caodaism should be modified in order to be able to namese families, having lived with Vietnamese hus- keep effectively the attention of persons susceptible of bands. They have never set foot in the towns inha- taking it into consideration. I think - and this is bited and frequented by Europeans and have always already for me an experience - that the picture of the lived in isolated corners which no European has altar representing the symbolic and shining Eye, visited. Yet, certain of their children have features of might be advantageously substituted for the very European or Aryan race; they may sometimes have a highly coloured images of divinities or avatars that European form, and gait, but their hair is always appear in the believer’s home. black like that of any other Vietnamese. Here, in France, people so much prefer sim- We believe we know that these children con- plicity, a sketch, great suggestive outlines, at: least serve a part of their physique from preceding reincar- among the particular public to which I necessarily nations - where they were born from European must address myself. I must say in this connection parents. They are born most often under the astral that the superb picture you sent me of Quan-Amˆ B`o-ˆ they had in their preceding reincarnations. Tat´ (Kwan-Yin) pleases enormously, and I believe I By revelations, we confirmed that a man, know the reason why it is very little coloured and having a split lip in a preceding reincarnation, actu- simpler than that of the emblem or even that of ally bears a hare-lip; that another who was an Quan-Thanh´ D- e-Quˆ´ anˆ (Kwan-Yu). I already wrote to evolved animal, still conserves a part of his old you about rites and prayers that might be simplified instincts, of his previous physical constitution. to make place for simple meditation, perhaps inter- These things make a materialist smile natur- spersed with short invocations. I think that in France, ally, who yet would fear to light three cigarettes (two people might make brief but substantial readings friends and himself) by the same match, to drive before the altar of D- ao. : all this is a matter of 174 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 175 comprehension, adaptation, tolerance. The lamp of liaison between a world that is fallen and another that

the altar (Thai-C´ uc-. ˛ D- ang˘ ) is another of the liturgical tends to the horizon. things that should be better understood and accepted: But how many misunderstandings it has to it goes without saying the most specially consecrated meet here! How many nuances to define to christian men, such as the dignitaries, could in practice take or materialistic ears, so similar in their dogmatisms certain liberties, still conforming as much as possible issued from a common illusion (Samara)! to the symbolisms fo Vietnam. These just reflexions, that go back to 1935, Concerning doctrine or teaching, I have writ- have lost nothing of their value: experienced in the ten you long and often, I shall come back to it only to West, in France, Caodaism calls for a simplification affirm once more that it should be eminently prefer- for certain souls who live in a "Voltairian climate" and able not to insist on the personal aspect of the Divin- who reject the formulas and too complicated rites of ity, to which I attribute without hesitation all respon- an Oriental theosophy: Let us add that this same com- sibility for the existing occidental materialism. People plication, more apparent than real, is a powerful do not want any more of a Jehovah God with arbi- attraction, a suave delight for certain souls, avid for trary decisions. All my requests for explanation and mysticism (in the most beautiful and noble meaning conversations 1 have had since December 1934 on the of the word). subject of D- ao. are convergent and conclusive on that capital point: Kungtze, Laotze, 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, strictly determined by it. If I preach 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 D- ao. 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 176 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 177

Various Sects of Caodaism CAODAISM # Denomi- Names of Head- Observa- nation of Chiefs quarter tions AND ITS Sects

VARIOUS BRANCHES 1Minh- Nguyen-˜ˆ M y-Tho˜ Chon-L˛ y´ van-Ca˘ The religious communion of Caodaism or ˛ 2Ban- Nguyen-˜ˆ B en-Treˆ´ ˛

D- ai-D- ao Tam-Ky` Pho-ˆ D- oˆ (3rd Amnesty of God in the Chınh- ngoc- ˛ . . . .˛ Orient) receives its instructions and impulsions from D- ao. Tuong Tay-Ninhˆ ’s Holy See. 3 Tien-ˆ Le-kim-Tˆ y. Phu-´ Mr. Ty. It was born in Cochinchina in 1926 and was Thienˆ Nhuanˆ. gives him- officially declared by a letter of the late Le-vˆ an-Trung˘ , (Gia-D- inh). self the tit- tle of former Colonial Counsellor, afterwards become President ` Quyen-Giˆ ao-T´ ongˆ (temporary Pope: the titular being of Cao- Saint Thai-B´ ach. ’s Spirit), to the Governor of Cochin- daist china, on the 7th of September. Union (deceased The present Superior of the religion is the ˛

Ho-Phˆ ap´ Pham-cong-Tˆ ac´˘ whose official Delegate at at Hai- . . ˛ Phong` Sai-G` on` is the Phoi-Sˆ´ u Tr`an-quang-Vinhˆ . 1948). Some former high dignitaries of Tay-Ninh’sˆ 4 Thong-ˆ Quach-´ Go-C` ongˆ Caodaism have left the communion and created Thien-ˆ D- ai` van-Ngh˘ ˜ıa and Sai-`

separate sects, preserving the same name of Caoda- ˛ ˛ ˛ and Le-ˆ Gon` ism. Mr. Nguyen-ng˜ˆ oc-Tuong, ex-Phu (Ben-Tre´sˆ´ sect) quang-Hoˆ . ˛ . and Mr. Nguyen-v˜ˆ an-Ca˘ , ex-D- oc-Phˆ´ u (My-Tho´s˜ sect). 5 Lien-Hˆ oa` Nguyen-˜ˆ C`au-Khoˆ Other have gone the same way and founded Tong-Phˆ ai´ phan- (Sai-G` on)` other sects. Long and Tr`an-vˆ an-˘ At present (1948), there are 11sects of the Queˆ´

Caodaist communion. Being anxious for exactness

6euMinh- Cao- Bac-Liˆ ˛ . and impartiality according to our brother Gago´s Chon-D- ao. Tri`eu-Phˆ at´ spirit, here is the list of those sects and branches with or Cong-ˆ the name of their chiefs and the headquarters of each:

178 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 179 D- `ongˆ Tat´ , the same God (Troi` ˛) worshipped by the five reli-

Hoi-Giˆ ao´ ˛

. ˛ ˛ gious branches (Chi) hereafter named under the name ˛ 7 Trung- Truong- Thu-D`au-ˆ Mr. An ˛ of Ngoc-Ho. ang` Thuong-. D- eˆ´. Hoa` Hoc-. ke-Anˆ´ Motˆ. has open a Phai´ medical Here is the list of the five actual branches of office at Buddhism: ˛ Thu-D`au-ˆ Five Branches of Buddhism #Denom- Names of See of Observations Mot.ˆ.

ination Chiefs Branches

8 Tay-Tˆ ongˆ Nguyen-˜ˆ Ben-Treˆ´ Mr. Tai` ˛ ˛ ˛ of "Chi" (Vo-Cˆ uc). buu-Tai` widrew to Tay-Ninhsˆ 1 Minh- O K´ıch Sai-G` on` Tam-Tong-ˆ ˆ ´ Holy See Ly´ (Au-K´ıch) Mieuˆ Pagoda where he (Rue resides. Chasseloup-

Laubat).

9 Tuyet-Cˆ. ocˆ´ Nhuanˆ. Tay-Ninhˆ They are ˛

2 Minh- Tr`an-ˆ An-Nhon Linh-Quang- ˛ and ascetics ˛ Su D- ao- (Gia-D- inh) Tu Pagoda. Ruongˆ. living . . . secluded Quang and very 3 Minh- Le-Minh-ˆ V˜ınh-Hoiˆ. The only Chi little Tanˆ Kha´ (Sai-G` on)` having

known. adhered to

10 Chieu-ˆ´ Tu-Hu˛ ynh` Cai-Kh´ eˆ´ The late Caodaism ˛ ˛ Minh-D- an` (C`an-Thˆ o) D- oc-Phˆ´ u exploit by the Ngo-vˆ an-˘ Caodaist Union.

Chieuˆ is ˛ its 4 Minh- D- at. and Thu-D`au-ˆ Minh-Thienˆ.

founder. Thienˆ. Mui` Motˆ. Pagoda.

˛ 5 Minh- Le-vˆ an-˘ C`an-Giuˆ ocˆ V˜ınh- ˛ ˛ ˛ ˛ 11Nu-˜ Ngoc-. Sai-G` on` ˛ .

Trung- Nhien-ˆ D- uong` Lich. (Cho-L. on)´ Nguyen-Tˆ u. ˛ Hoa` Phai´ Huong˛ Pagoda. and Le-ˆ Toward Union. ngoc-. In 1945, Tay-Ninh’sˆ Holy See took the initia- Trinh tive in working for the unification of all "chi"

The principal characteristic of Caodaism is (branches) and all "phai´ " (sects). The former municipal ˛ ˛ the worship of Cao-D- ai` Tien-ˆ Ongˆ D- ai-B`o-Tˆ at´ Ma-Ha- ˛ . counsellor of Cho-L. on,´ Mr. Nguyen-h˜ˆ uu-˜ D- ac,´˘ was 180 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 181 entrusted with this mission. Mr. D- ac’s´˘ attitude being those who wish for Union, for Synthesis, for Com- appreciated as not conforming to the spirit that munion toward its true and only actual point of Cao- animated the Holy See, he publicly gave up his pro- daist radiance, His Holiness Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac,´˘ Ho-ˆ.

ject. Mr. D- ac´˘ did not cease to pursue his conversa- Phap´ at Tay-Ninh,ˆ and toward his active Delegate at tions which ended in a meeting at the of Minh-Tanˆ Sai-G` on:` His Eminence Tr`an-quang-Vinh,ˆ Phoi-Sˆ´ u.˛ Pagoda at V˜ınh-Hoiˆ. (Sai-G` on).` A committee was Here is an outline on the Organization and elected with Mr. Cao-tri`eu-Phˆ at´ of Bac-Li. euˆ as Hierarchy of Caodaism. President and Mr. Le-kim-Tˆ y. as vice-President. Holy See.

At this "Caodaist Union"; (Cao-D- ai` Hiep-ˆ The Holy See is situated at Tay-Ninh,ˆ four ˛ . Nhut´ ), the orthodox Communion of Tay-Ninhˆ and kilometers from the town. most of other sects, especially those of Ben-Treˆ´ and We find there a great Temple that is the work My-Tho˜ did not participate. of modern Sino-Vietnamese religious architecture In September 1946, Mr. Le-kim-Tˆ y,. vice- conceived and realized by His Holiness Pham-c. ong-ˆ president tried vainly to convene a general assembly Tac´˘ himself, the size of which is comparable to that of

of sects, first at the pagoda of Minh-Tanˆ at V˜ınh-Hoiˆ , European Cathedrals. ˛ .

then at Mr. Nguyen-ng˜ˆ oc-Thos´ Bach-Van-Amˆ temple Important religious services are installed ˛ ˛ . . at Phu-L´ amˆ (Cho-L. on),´ the proprietors of these pago- there as well as agricultural, forest and industrial das not having accepted the responsibilities of fact (saw-mill, brick-yard, etc.) works. and intention of the promoter of the meeting. It is a holy city equipped with a school, a At last, Mr. Le-kim-Tˆ y. took advantage of a hospital, a market, a playing-field, broad, clean and worship ceremony at the home of ex-adjutant Bui-` well-maintained streets. van-Nh˘ an` at Phu-Nhu´ anˆ. on the occasion of the 15th At present, numerous crews of workmen of day of the 8th month (September 10th) to have various specialities work feverishly at equipping and acclaimed President of the Caodaist Union by a group town-planning. of followers of Tien-Thiˆ enˆ to which were joined some The inner enclosure is protected by a semi- members of other sects unauthorized by their sacer- military armed guard, who are preparing recruits docy. Mr. Nhan` was promoted vice-president. destined for self-defence posts in the provinces. Tay-Ninh’sˆ Orthodox Caodaism has no rela- The Holy See houses a population of more tion with "the Caodaist Union" above-mentioned. than 10,000 persons. Outside the enclosure, there is an It is good to draw attention to these various agglomeration of followers estimated at more than tendencies precisely to avoid confusion and to lead all 80,000 inhabitants. 182 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 183

The Religion’s Direction comprises: 6 Giao-S´ u˛ Bishop 72 titulars insuf-

˛ ˛ ficient - The Cuu-Trung-` D- ai` or Executive Body which ˛ represents the Temporal Power; 7 Giao-H´ uu˜ Priest 3000 titu- lars - The Hiep-Thiˆ. en-ˆ D- ai` or Legislative Body which 8 Le-Sanh˜ˆ Student- unlimited repre-sents the Spiritual Power. From an esoterical

Priest number

point of view, this Body holds the mystic power. ˛˛

˛ 9 Chanh-´ Lesser unlimited ˛ - The Co-Quan˛ ˛ Phuoc-Thi´ enˆ or Works of Charity. . Tri-S. u. Dignitary number

1) CUU-TRUNG-` D- AI.`

˛ ˛ 10 Pho-Tr´ i- Lesser unlimited ˛ . At the head of Cuu-Trung-` D- ai` , is enthroned the Su. Dignitary number

Giao-T´ ongˆ (Pope) whose titular is Saint Ly-Th´ ai-B´ ach’s. 11 Thong-Sˆ u. ˛ Lesser unlimited Spirit. Since the creation of the religion, the late Le-ˆ Dignitary number van-Trung˘ is the only human being who received the 12T´ın-D- `oˆ follower

title of Quy`en-Giˆ ao-T´ ongˆ (Temporary Pope) and was For the Administration of the Religion, the ˛ ˛ the true Chief of the Religion. He has not yet his suc- Cuu-Trung-` D- ai` comprises 9 religious Ministries or

cessor. Wanting the Giao-T´ ongˆ , the Ho-Phˆ. ap´ , Chief of "Vien":ˆ . ˛ ˛

Hiep-Thiˆ en-ˆ D- ai` , became Superior of Caodaism. . ˛ ˛ Nine Ministries (Cuu-Vien)ˆ. The hierarchy of the dignitaries of Cuu- 1 Lai-Vi. enˆ. Interior

Trung-` D- ai` is schematically established in the follow- 2 Le-Vi˜ˆ enˆ. Rites ing fashion: ˛ ˛ 3 Hoa-Vi` enˆ. Security

The Dignitaries of Cuu-Trung-` D- ai`

4 Ho-Viˆ enˆ Finances ˛ # Tittle English Number Obser- .˛ . Equivalent Appointed va- 5 Luong-Vienˆ. Supply. Tittle tions 6 Hoc-Vi. enˆ. Education

1Giao-T´ ongˆ Pope 1 titular vacant 7 Nong-Viˆ enˆ. Agriculture ˛ ˛ 2Chuong- Censor 3 titulars vacant 8 Cong-Viˆ enˆ. Public Works

Phap´ Cardinal 9 Y-Vienˆ Health ˛ . 3D- `au-Sˆ u Cardinal 3 titulars vacant b) HIEP-THIˆ. EN-ˆ D- AI.`

4Chanh-´ Principal 3 titulars vacant - ` ˛ At the head of Hiep-Thiˆ. en-ˆ Dai is placed the

Phoi-Sˆ´ u Archbishop ´ ˛ Ho-Phˆ ap (Grand Chief of the Legislative Body) ˛ ˛ ˛˛ . ˛ ´ 5 Phoi-Sˆ u Archbishop 33 titulars insuf- assisted by a Thuong. Phamˆ and a Thuong-Sanh.. ficient These three high dignitaries command the

Thap-Nhˆ. i. Thoi-Qu` ˛ anˆ (12 members of the Legislative 184 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 185

Body). Le-Sanh˜ˆ 4apTiep-Phˆ´ ´ The hierarchy of the dignitaries of Hiep-ˆ. ´ Thien-ˆ D- ai` is established, according to the divine 5Tiep-ˆ D- ao. Legislator Cardinal instruction, in the following way (see tables): 6eTiep-Thˆ´ ˆ´ The Dignitaries of Hiep-Thiˆ. en-ˆ D- ai` 7apKhai-Ph´ # Tittle English Equivalent Obser- 8Khai-D- ao. Legislator Cardinal

Equivalent Tittle in va- ˛ ˛ 9eKhai-Thˆ´ Tittle the Cuu- tions 10Hien-Phˆ´ ap´ Trung-` D- ai` 11Hien-ˆ´ D- ao. Legislator Cardinal 1 Ho-Phˆ. ap´ Holder of Pope The 12Hien-Thˆ´ eˆ´

religious Supe- ˛ laws and rior 13Bao-Ph ap´ ˛ rules, 14Bao-D- ao. Legislator Cardinal ˛ Master of 15Bao-Th eˆ´ the Mystic

The Secondary Cadre of Hiep-Thiˆ en-ˆ D- ai`

Branch. . ˛ ˛ comprises the following dignitaries:

2 Thu˛ ong- Chief of Censor Deceased, . The Secondary Cadre of Hiep-Thiˆ. en-ˆ D- ai` Phamˆ the Sacer- Cardinal not # Tittle English Equivalent Obser-

dotal replaced. Equivalent Tittle in va- ˛ ˛ Body Tittle the Cuu- tions (Defender Trung-` D- ai` and Pro- 1 Tiep-ˆ´ Instructor Principal tector of

Dan-˜ˆ D- ao- Archbishop

the Sacer- ˛ .

Nhon

˛

docy) ˛ ˛ ˛ 2Chuong- Chancel- Archbishop 3 Thuong- Chief of Censor . Anˆ´ lor Sanh all the Cardinal - lesser 3 Giam-´ Dao. General Principal Inspector Archbishop

order of ˛

the Reli- 4Cai-An´ Lawyer Bishop ˛ ˛ ˛ gion from 5Thua-S` u Historian Priest simple fol- 6Truy`en-ˆ Investiga- Priest lowers to Trang. tor 186 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 187 ˛ 7 S˜ı-Tai Archivist Student- 7 Ch´ı-Thienˆ. Priest Priest 8 Giao-Thi´ enˆ. Student-Priest

8 Luat-Sˆ. u. ˛ Master of Sub- 9 Hanh-Thi` enˆ. Sub-dignitary

10 Th´ınh-Thienˆ Earnest Faithful ˛ ˛ ˛ Doctrine dignitary .

11 Tan-Dˆ anˆ Earnest Faithful

3) CO-QUAN PHUOC-THI´ EN.ˆ ˛ ˛˛ ˛ . 12 Minh-D- uc´ Simple Member The Co-Quan Phuoc-Thi´ enˆ (Charitable Body) . At present, the dignitaries of the highest rank mainly looks after the aged, widows, orphans, in of the Charitable Body reach only the rank of "Ch´ı- short all the underprivileged, whether they belong to Thienˆ. " (Priest). Caodaism or not. They morally and materially sup- In the provinces. port the families of dignitaries who have vowed to For practical reasons, Caodaism has adopted abandon their homes to consecrate themselves as religious cir-cumscriptions existing administrative entirely to Religion. divisions in Cochinchina. To reach that aim, it is important that this It comprises five "Tranˆ´ " led by Kham-Trˆ an-ˆ´ organism have at its disposal necessary financial and

D- ao who are chosen among the dignitaries having the . ˛ material means. For this purpose, the Charitable Body rank of Giao-S´ u (Bishop). received the authorization of the Sacerdotal Body to

Each province has at its head a Kham-Chˆ au-ˆ set itself to forest and industrial works, to the ˛ D- ao. who ranks among the Giao-H´ uu˜ (Priest). development of rice and food cultivation, to the The D- `au-Tˆ oc-ˆ. D- ao. administers an area breeding of cattle and pigs, and even to activities of corresponding to a government administrative dele- local commerce. The gratuitous help of the voluntary gation. He is chosen among the Le-Sanh˜ˆ (Student- members of the Charitable Body is utilized according

Priest). ˛ to their competence and skills. ˛

The D- `au-Hˆ uong-D- ao, chief of a village parish, Caodaist Charitable Bodies . ˛

ranks among the Chanh-Tr´ i-Su (lesser dignitary). # Tittle Equivalent Tittle in the ˛ ˛ ˛ . .

Cuu-Trung-` D- ai` In hamlets, there are Pho-Tr´ i-Su or Tri-Ly-´ ˛ ˛ ˛ . .

1 Phat-Tˆ u Pope - ´ - ˛ ˆ ˆ . ˛ Dao. and Thong-Su. or Thong-Ly-Dao. (lesser digni-

2 Tien-Tˆ u Censor Cardinal ˛ taries).

3 Thanh-Nh´ on Cardinal ˛ The provincial dignitaries hold their see

4 Hi`en-Nhˆ on Principal Archbishop

˛ either in Van-Ph˘ ong` (offices) especially organized for

5 D- ao-Nhon Archbishop ˛ . ˛ 6 Chon-Nhon Bishop that purpose or in meeting-places where they install their offices. 188 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 189

symbols of the associated religions, legends and CAODAISM beliefs of the Sino-Vietnamese folklore: This hetero- State Religion, geneous mixture makes of it a monument of great ori- National Religion of Vietnam ginality. The most characteristic of innovations, is the Tower of Saker (Nghinh-Phong) from where melodi- A document of 1946 ous and enchanting modulations of an invisible Caodaism: its origin, character, projects. chorus mysteriously escape. It is crowned with a fabulous animal, the Dragon-Horse (Long-Ma˜) that Caodaism is of a bpiritual essence. Its crea- carries on its back the first signs of the Chinese tion proceeds from spiritism. Its doctrine and worship Zodiac. were taught to men by the interpreter of the billed- The worship has its peculiarities. Prostrations basket. Messages came either from the Supreme God, are made not with joined flat hands, but with hands

Cao-D- ai` Himself, or Superior Spirits such as Ly-Th´ ai-´ so joined as to form a ball, both thumbs being hidden ˛

Bach,. the Chinese Poet Ly-Tai-Pe of the D- uong`˛ (Tang) inside. Instead of three traditional sticks of incense, dynasty, now become spiritual Pope of Caodaism. five are burned at each ceremony. Offerings of

Spirits of European great men among others Victor flowers, tea and alcohol are made on an altar where ˛

Hugo (Nguyet-Tˆ. amˆ Chon-Nh˛ on) often intervened to the Oriental Gods are close to Jesus Christ. The reli- dictate religious precepts in verse. gious emblem is the divine Eye darting its beams on a Caodaism is an amalgam, a synthesis of cosmic globe. This is the eternal light.

existing religions: Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, The administrative structure is that of a ˛ ˛ Christianity, etc. - It does not neglect animistic wor- modern State. There are the Executive Power (Cuu-

ships and the deification of heroes of the Sino- Trung-` D- ai` ) the Legislative Power (Hiep-Thiˆ en-ˆ D- ai` ) and ˛˛ ˛ . Vietnamese antiquity. the Charitable Body (Co-Quan Phuoc-Thi´ enˆ. ), distinc-

The architecture of the D- `en-Thˆ anh´ (Great tive token of the religion. ˛ ˛ Temple) which draws the admiration of foreign tour- The Cuu-Trung-` D- ai` or Executive Power is

ists by its audacious conception and scope, was diyided into three branches (Phai´ ): ˛

inspired by the Pope Ly-Th´ ai-B´ ach. or Ho-Phˆ. ap´ Thuong˛. or Taoism, symbol: azure. Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac,´˘ present Superior of Caodaism, who Ngoc. or Confucianism, symbol: red. had the merit of accomplishing the building with Thai´ or Buddhism, symbol: yellow. very reduced means under the most unfavourable cir- These three colours form the tricoloured cumstances. It is artistically decorated with all the banner of Caodaism. 190 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 191

The Caodaist regime is fundamentally demo- unavoidable consequences of military operations, are cratic. Nominations and promotions in the episcopal hard felt. hierarchy are first submitted to an assembly of Faith- There remain of the archives and the old ful (Van-Linh). composed of representatives of par- library only value-less documents. ishes in the ratio of one delegate per 500 members or The projected monastery remains in the fraction thereof. They are then submitted to the Sacer- blue-print stage. dotal Counsel, the High Counsel, and finally, the All now must be reconstituted, recon- Spiritual Pope Ly-Gi´ ao-T´ ong.ˆ structed, re-begun. The Holy See is situated at Tay-Ninh,ˆ 4 To a religion, time does not matter. kilometers from the chief-town of the province. Relying on its faith and divine protection, It is a town having an area of 100 hectares, Caodaism continues its, way, softly but certainly, to equipped with modern installations, printing-house, accomplish the Celestial Mission. police-station, play-ground, weaving-mill and Future projects: furniture-factory, administrative offices and also an It does not lack ambitions in the domain of undertaking-service. It has its brickyard, sawmill, and realizable pro-jects: public-works. Its kitchens and refectories are of con- To make of Caodaism a religion of State, the siderable size. national religion of Vietnam. Caodaism has seen 22 years of existence (in To make of the Caodaist Holy See a center of 1948). It might take on more breadth. It is busy with pilgrimage and tourism, not only for Vietnam and its its works of reconstruction and arrangement. neighbouring countries, but also and especially for It knew its hard beginnings. The persecutions the far nations of Europe and America. were due to a want of understanding on the part of To extend proselytism in the world and have, some, and the evil intent of others. at least in the freat capitals, meeting-places where Interior dissensions gave birth to eleven dis- Caodaist missionaries shall come preaching the Love sident sects. of Neighbour and Universal Brotherhood. The war was a hard blow for Caodaism. The To realize these dreams, Caodaism knows five-year absence of the Superior Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac,´˘ that it counts on the sponsorship of the new France, a exiled from 1941 to 1946 to Madagascar with five of Great Friend and a Good Counsellor. his dignitaries, deprived it of its most dynamic ani- Sai-G` on,` November 10th, 1946. mators. Tr`an-quang-Vinhˆ The demolition of buildings and other 192 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 193

for all over the world, the divine Law is applied to all WHAT HIS EXCELLENCY the Universe and even imposed upon vegetation and TRAN-QUANG-VINH`ˆ the beasts. THINKS ABOUT Is it not the goal of every religious man to REINCARNATION reach the Wisdom of the Soul? Is it not the eternal BY CAODAISM Glory of all spirits to acquire the riches of God’s vir- The Law of reincarnation, when one seeks to tue and be rendered immortal. The result is learning the sources of Wisdom, is at the origin of all religions. to know oneself first, and then knowing, by consci- Every searcher of truth in the Orient or Occident, ence, the Being who must be. To reach this supreme every truly religious person, without distinction of aim, from unclean matter to pure Divinity, all vitality, belief, must conceive and recognize that that law is all energy, all being, makes its way tramping through unique from an esoteric point of view and shall numerous reincarnations. Now, who says Reincarna- always remain so; whence the certitude of the immor- tion says Suffering, who says Suffering says Love. tality of the soul and the evolution of each being after Christ, Buddha, Laotze and Confucius did not step successive existences. aside from that way. The Truth taught by our Divine Caodaism or Reformed Buddhism, in order Master and conceived by each of those instructors of to realize religious unity, takes into consideration the Humanity is always one. pure principles acknowleged as being eternal truths They who pretend otherwise are far from of the Four Great Religions and practises the broadest Truth. They are persons rushing to enjoy a beatitude tolerance toward all forms of Faith, however reserv- and perfect rest after the hard terrestrial trial and who ing for itself to bring them back, by persuasion, to the would pass in one bound from our planet to the original Unity. Seventh Heaven and Nirvana. To those eager for easy Now, our doctrine is founded by Spiritism, Paradises, we must recall that great occultists as well on the teaching of our Divine Master, it is natural that as great philosophers who have affirmed successive we should conceive of the Reincarnation, in the lives, believed that the soul, arrived at perfection, manner of spiritualists of India and the Occident and ceases to be reincarnated to live a life of Cosmic tran- take as a fundamental Axis the karmic Law that was scendence. But to reach perfection of the soul is a long taught of old the secret seal in the temples of India, journey. The number of stages depends on each spirit. Chaldees and Egypt. It is simple, comprehensible, Meanwhile, successive lives are necessary for the because for common people and learned persons, extension of sensibility, the development of intelli- truth does not change its form. As the sun that shines gence and the exercise of will. This theory is the only 194 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 195 one that gives a plausible explanation of the evolution understand the divine Justice. As Allan Kardec so of the soul by uniting it to the Law of Reincarnation. justly wrote: we must be born and reborn and cease- Such is the Law of strict justice proving the lessly progress. Knowledge of this law will enable real and infinite kindness of God. His Creatures are men to destroy utterly within themselves all selfish- responsible only for their actions and the conscience ness, hate, envy and pride. It will teach to all the is a severe judge who marks each suffering with a acceptance of suffering for the perfection of the soul step taken toward evolution. and help those who suffer to understand the reasons From the preceding statement, it is easy to for inequalities herebelow. By placing the divine understand that the reincarnated being does not above the human, it puts at the Zenith of the Cosmos wholly differ from the terrestrial being, which we the key to all problems. might know. Little by little, as it accumulates existences, the spirit creates an individuality that is permanent, constantly keeps on improving it, what- ever may be the different bodies that it momentarily animates later to be abandoned. The progress of the spirit or the soul increases according to the merit of each life, but the evolution does not prevent the soul, in certain cases, from spontaneously remembering his past lives. Mr. Leon Denis has, on the problem of being and Destiny, given precious indications and God has granted them to give the world proof of the reality of successive existences. In his Treatise on Egyptian Mystic, Jambique expresses the following: God’s Justice is not the Justice of men. Man defines Justice in relation to his actual life and his present state. God defines it relatively to our succes- sive lives and to the universality of our lives. Thus the pains that afflict us are often punishments for sin which the soul has committed in a previous life. They who pretend the contrary ill 196 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 197

matter to seek in spirituality, the full quietude of the ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS soul. OF CAODAISM From the point of view of worship, it recom- mends the adoration of God, the Father of All, the According to the teachings of the Supreme veneration of Superior Spirits who constitute the Being, the Doctrines of the various religions through August Occult Hierarchy and the Founders of great the centuries have been denatured and badly prac- Religions, true instructors of Humanity. tised even by those who were charged with spreading From a spiritualistic point of view, it con- them. The order and peace of the days of old are firms, in harmony with other religions and with the effaced, the moral Law of Humanity is quite systems of spiritualistic and psychical philosophy, the betrayed, the world is at present in darkness. A new existence of the soul, its survival of the physical body, religion is needed, capable of maintaining humanity its evolution by the plurality of existence, the in the love of creation and fraternization of all races. posthumous consequences of human action ordered The Caodaist Doctrine sets itself this heavy task. To by the karmic Law. the eternal truths, to the divine Law, Caodaism con- From the point of view of the initiate, it com- forms its dogmas and principles. It respects others’ municates to those of the dignitaries who are worthy, beliefs when those beliefs are not of a nature to lead revealed teachings that shall empower them, by a humanity to Fanatism or Heresy. Where certain process of spiritual evolution, to accede to truths are deformed by superstitious conceptions of ravishments of beatitude. ignorance, the new religion undertakes to re-establish *** them in their true meaning. The scheme of our great To evangelize the world and unite all the way tends not only to conciliate all religious convic- Master’s children, we, his disciples, have only to tions, but also to adapt itself to all degrees of spiritual draw our force and wisdom from his divine teach- evolution. ings. His doctrine is a reformed doctrine, the only one From a moral point of view, our Doctrine capable of bringing back universal Peace drawn from reminds man of his duties toward himself, his family, the fusion of the principal religions of the Orient and society, which is a wider family, and finally human- of Christianity, and actually spread over much of the ity, the universal family. terrestrial globe under different forms. With him, we From a philosophical point of view, it shall dissipate everything that is of error and preten- preaches disinterestedness toward honours, riches, tion, overthrow all obstacles and everywhere sow luxury, in a word, a freeing from the servitude of Wisdom and Love. 198 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 199

The spotless Truth can come only from Him, for all human bodies are subject to error, and no one SOME WORDS herebelow can penetrate His secrets. FROM He is the true Father and Master of Human- THE HOLY SEE ity because it is from Him that comes all our being. Father, He gives us Vitality; Master, He bequeaths us The newspaper le Khmer (30-5-37) briefly his own Divinity. interviewed His Holiness Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac,´˘ present Note: The Buddhist Truth on the karmic Law Superior of Caodaism. Here is the text of the inter- is always the same Gautama Buddha said: view: The Present is the Result of the Past which We shall not undertake to revive, in these was our Work. lines, the show and splendor of the ceremonies mark- The Future shall bring forth an effect of ing the inauguration of the Caodaist temple of which the Present is the cause. Phnom-Penh, our colleagues having done it so well. Sai-G` on,` November 10th, 1946. We only aim at examining with our readers, The Delegate of the Superior of Caodaism: with all impartiality, the declarations that His Holi- Tr`an-quang-Vinh.ˆ ness Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac,´˘ Supreme Chief of the Caodaist Religion, so kindly gave us. We were profoundly moved and touched at the welcome we received from this man, by his modesty and by his great simplicity! Our conversa- tion was cordial, friendly, we might say fraternal, for at no time did His Holiness Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac´˘ try to pontificate, nor give proof of the least intolerance. He is a very enlightened man. His religious conceptions are no doubt somewhat different from ours, but the ideal pursued is so beautiful, that we could only bow before his sincere faith, reminding ourselves of what is sung in all the Chrismas songs: Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men! We shall add that after having seen and 200 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 201 heard, we esteem that the Caodaists are truly men of We don’t seek to destroy Christ’s doctrine, good will. we come, on the contrary, to strengthen it, for it is To a question we asked him on the subject of impossible to deny the existence of Christ. Our efforts the doctrine exposed in the pamphlet graciously aim at preparing, by spirituality, the regeneration of handed to all visitors, expressed thus: the whole of humanity, which seems to have forgot- Without being polytheist in fact, it is so in ten all the maxims of Christ, which if they had been principle, for besides the official adoration of the followed, should have kept peace in the world. Supreme God, it allows its believers the free venera- Caodaism is the bridge cast over the deep tion of other gods who have conquered their hearts. chasm (that seemed impassable) separating Christ In effect, we remarked to His Holiness from Buddha, who was his Precursor, the harmony of Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac,´˘ that in all the revelations made to whose doctrines, completing one another, is neces- men on the subject of the Divinity, it was an ack- sary to the union of the Occidental and Asiatic peo- nowledged fact, even to the occultists, that there was ples, that fraternity may reign between them. only one god, in three persons, called by the appella- We could only bow before so wise a saying, tion of "Divine Triad". which, furthermore, corresponds to that of Christ. That’s right, replied His Holiness Pham-. I am not come to destroy the Law, or the Pro- cong-Tˆ ac,´˘ but for us, God is: phets. I am not come to destroy but to fulfil. The Incommensurable, the Eternal, the Most It is moreover strange to find that in recent High, the Absolute. He has no name. In our religion, years, in the whole world the number of men who the word "gods" that has shocked you, has not the take an interest in the Holy Scriptures, increases heathen meaning you lend it, it simply designates steadily. This need of belief is typical and is for us the spirits completely detached from matter and tangible proof that the time foretold by Daniel and approaching the Most High as near as possible. Saint John, when Christ is going to return to the earth They are, in a way, saints. to give to each his due, is near. The names of our Eternal are given him by So, we can only rejoice in the work under- every people and under different forms. taken by Caodaism, that of bringing back to Christ, These different names separate humanity by a necessary transition, the lost sheep of the Far- instead of uniting them, that is why we don’t call him East, in order that, according to Saint John: God, but the Most High, the Absolute, the Eternal. One shepherd and one flock To another question concerning Christ, the There shall be but one shepherd and one answer Was also categorical: flock. 202 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 203

Le Populaire d’Indochine (27-11-36) also had an Mr. Pham-cong-Tˆ ac´˘ in his small villa, at the very end ˛ ˛ . ˛ interview with the Superior of Caodaism under cir- of the alley "Thuong-Trung-Nh. ut".. cumstances as follows: Mr. Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac´˘ welcomed us with the A crowd estimated at some twenty thousand delicate courtesy for which he is well known. persons occupies the alleys, the gardens and the He gracefully answered all our questions: "woods" of Tay-Ninhˆ since yesterday. - Have you come into communication with Mr. They have come from all parts of Cochin- Le-vˆ an-Trung’s˘ spirit? china, some by boat, others by cart. They camp in the - Yes, many times. open air, men and women, seated on mats, near the - By yourself or through a medium. big oxen that have brought them here. - Through a medium, though I am a medium Tay-Ninhˆ is in holiday. Tay-Ninhˆ is celebrat- myself, and could make direct contact with the late ing the end of mourning for the late Pope Le-vˆ an-˘ pope´s spirit. Trung. - What recommendations did he make? On the square of "Universal Fraternity" - To do our best to open our religion to all faiths, which is illuminated by the garish light of a swelter- all beliefs, in broad spirit of tolerance, to destroy the ing sun, a big alter has been erected to the memory of materialist error wherever we shall meet it. the former Chief of Caodaism. - Tell us of the work of propaganda of Caodaism On this altar is stretched an immense cloth abroad. representing Mr. Le-vˆ an-Trung˘ with his sacerdotal - It is not an easy work, for it is not proper to trappings. wound the susceptibilities of the nations to which we From both sides of the gigantic esplanade come. which is the place of "Fraternity" are lined up, pro- For our propaganda in China, the members of the vince by province, the delegations from the interior mission are already named, but they are at present with their chiefs, banners, and oriflammes. A new finishing their cultural formation in the Seminary. rule established only since Mr. Le-vˆ an-Trung’s˘ death - How many Caodaist seminaries are there? reduced the period of mourning to twenty months - Two; one at Tay-Ninh,ˆ the other at Phnom-Penh. instead of twenty four. The government has suggested that we discontinue But, for Mr. Le-vˆ an-Trung,˘ the old rule was them. But that is not possible, for we must form true maintained. priests. While awaiting the great night festival, we - Have you any Frenchmen in your religion? went to pay a visit to Mr. Le-vˆ an-Trung’s˘ successor, - Oh yes. Many Frenchmen are beginning to learn 204 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 205 our religion by correspondence. Caodaism, among its other adversaries, has

In France, Mrs Felicien´ Challaye bears the execu- also met certain spiritualists, in spite of its origin of tive powers with the title of "Giao-S´ u"˛(that is, bishop) spiritualistic practises (at least, in the qualified Sacer- while Mr. Gabriel Gobron carries the legislative docy). It seems that spiritism is a new wine that

powers with the title of "Tiep-Dˆ´ an˜ˆ D- ao-Nh. on˛" (i.e. bursts old bottles: a mass of followers having under- instructor). stood nothing of the explosion of spiritism in our - What is the actual number of followers of Cao- ultramodern world, have squabbled and disputed daism. with one another to know whether it is a philosophy, - At one time, the schism of Ben-Treˆ´ did our reli- a science, a religion, without knowing (or without gion an injury which saw numerous faithful turn wishing to know) that it is all these at the same time away from it. But now, we have reached nine tenths and does not bear that artificial compartmentalizing of the number of followers we had at the moment of of pedants and illiterates. the greatest extension of We then have religious spiritualistic coun- Caodaism. The figure is more than one million. tries (Great Britain, Brazil, etc.) and scientific spiritu- In Tonkin, we have between 6 and 7.000 faithful. alistic countries (France, Italy, Cuba, Argentina, etc.). With these words, we take leave of Mr. Pham-. Better: in the same country, we find groups with a cong-Tˆ ac,´˘ because many other callers wish to talk religious tendency (Christic spiritism in England, with the pope. France, etc.) and associations with a scientific ten- From 7 o´clock in the evening on, the gar- dency (Revue Spirite at Paris, Revue Spirite Beige at dens of Tay-Ninhˆ are illuminated by thousands of Liege, etc.) Chinese lanterns, while paper images representing Scientific spiritualists, in general, are hostile genii are illuminated by soft lights. to Caodaism, which they reproach for its ceremonies, A spotless moon gives this ceremony a some- rites, sacerdocy, "catechisms", and at the slightest pro- what unreal character. vocation, those good apostles would excommunicate Ten thousand of the faithful already occupy it without a trial! I know what I say in writing these the spots reserved to them in the parade of the great painful observations. procession. They would have an Asia more Voltarian And one cannot deny that a certain mysti- than Voltaire! Such ignorance is not encouraging... cism emanates from that quiet moon-white train, Mr. Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac,´˘ Superior of Caodaism, from that endless parade under big trees that not the wrote to me, on the 25th of March 1935, from the least breeze stirs nor the least cry disturbs. Holy See at Tay-Ninhˆ (Cochinchina), a letter that I 206 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 207 publish, not for the flattering appreciations it contains universal peace, that so much promised (and so little about me (perhaps, you will believe me if I confess realized) peace. this: I have not yet come to work impersonally, Thanks to your unwearying activity that you anonymously, as every advanced Initiate ought to have made known the new Doctrine in numerous work for social service, but I have come to an absolute spots of various countries. I beg you to persevere in indifference before praises and blame expressed your task, for I am firmly convinced that one day about my work and me), but for certain teachings, for soon, your efforts shall be crowned with success. certain precisions which it contains: I am sure that our Divine Master and My dear Brother, numerous spirits watch over you and inspire you Our Brother, Mr. Vinh, has shared’ with me marvelously. all your letters as well as your articles appearing in Always keep in close and regular relations various reviews. with spiritualistic circles and help their members Allow me to thank you with all my heart for understand that, by the divine Will, we Cochin- busying yourself with the new Doctrine with such a chinese, have but a little mission that limits itself to noble self-sacrifice Our Divine Master holds you in the creation of a Sacerdocy to whom we inculcate a great consideration, and we pray that He may give Faith, a great Faith in God, and it needs the gathering you better health to be able to continue without of all spiritualistic messengers of the whole world to interruption the work you have so well undertaken. prepare the New Gospel capable of renovating the This very evening, I am going to conduct divine ser- World in the way of Truth; in order that man may vice and present to that end a petition to our Divine walk no more in darkness and that he may knoiv Master. Do believe that I have been very sorry to hear where he comes from, what he is doing in the present that you are suffering and that, from time to time, ill- life, and what he will become after death. ness confines you to your bed. You must be well to You are very specially named for that great work. Man has but few years to live on this earth of task. God made you a polyglot for the purpose. You trials, and time is precious to him, very precious, have that great advantage over all of us here, who, when he knows how to use it. besides our mother tongue, speak and write French Humanity lives in suffering. It is our duty to but imperfectly. seek, by all means, if not to end those sufferings, at I know that Spiritualists have among them least to relieve them. So long as we draw a breath of immutable principles; they do not want religion, nor life, let us work, always work for the regeneration of cumbersome rites, it will be very difficult to make man, his perfection, the fraternization of races, the them admit our ideas and accept our new Faith. But I 208 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 209 have confidence that God and the spirits will help To be admitted into one of these depart- you in this difficult task, and when the time comes, ments, a student must first have his B.A., a key giving their Great Master Allan Kardec, will manifest him- him access to the University of his choice. self to bring them back towards us. The Spirit Victor To have his diploma, a student must pass Hugo, under the pseudonym "Symbol", has sent them through the primary and elementary classes and so several messages. on, where he must acquire a sufficient range of On the other hand, Brother Francois of diverse, even heterogeneous knowledge. Phnom-Penh has shared with me his answer to To form a University, there must be Several Brother Henri Francois, of France. I fully approve of departments. Each department has its particular its terms... I am pleased to quote: "Intellectuals, scho- teaching, but all must be under one leadership: a lars are generally carried to extremes: they are either president. atheists or believers, sometimes to the point of Broad acquired knowledges will always be intolerance, not to say fanatism. Let us follow m the useful to the student in the future and give him the Golden Mean, as the sage Confucius recommends." stamp of a learned man. In the department of his

Here-inclosed is the translation of a message choice, he must improve the studies of his choice, but - ˛ our Brother Cao-duc-Tr´ ong. (Tiep-ˆ´ D- ao. ) and I have the others already acquired are not useless at all. An obtained from Victor Hugo´s Spirit, concerning digni- engineer is versed in mathematics, a physician ana- taries of Hiep-Thiˆ. en-ˆ D- ai` Please read the explanations tomy, a lawyer must be schooled in the law, but each given on this subject to Brother Henri Francois by his of them has to know, in addition, letters, figures, a lit- name-Sake of Cambodia. tle of other matters, always necessary in life. I think that you have been solicited by many In spite of their particular knowledges, their persons as to how we shall succeed in unifying all professions, they cannot live outside society. Religions which, by their principles, dogmas, rites, So, society re-unites them after their gradua- beliefs, etc... are so clearly different, even opposing tion. More-over, the engineer cannot get along and contradicting one another, not to say posing as without the physician, nor the physician without the adversaries. engineer. We might answer by these few sentences It is the same with religions. which, in my opinion, explain the question quite A lay man must have acquired some princi- clearly in spite of being somewhat laconic. ples of morals, some notions of philosophy, etc. to be Let us consider Religions as departments of a well thought of, and not be expelled from Society. He University. thus prepares himself for entry into a religion to his 210 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 211 taste. Present humanity is pretty a "big child" to be Religions are like University departments: held in leash and prevented longer from marching superficially their dogmas, beliefs, ete... seem to be toward the Sublime. He needs the open air of the out of harmony with one another, they often are in Infinite to be in conformity with the state of his soul opposition. They must be so, for each one has a taste, and his devotion. He ought to be able to act and live a tendency, a desire, an instruction, an education in Truth, not darkness, or obsessed and obsessing completely different of that of his neighbour. doubt. Religions were differently created because of Hoping to hear from you soon, I leave you the stage of civilization of peoples, the degree of evo- with a hearty embrace begging God to cover you with lution, the atmosphere, place of their birth, their his benediction and graces, and asking you to give manners and customs, etc. But above all these things, my best regards to our dear sister, Mme Gabriel seeming so diverse, there is the Creator, God, i.e. the Gobron. Universal Conscience who unites all men in spite of Pham-c. ong-Tˆ ac´˘ the diverse colours of their skin, their degree of civili- Superior of Caodaism zation, etc... Holy See of Tay-Ninhˆ It belongs to the Caodaists to place them- As one can see, it is to the contributor to the selves at the service of the "Great Faith in God" for that Revue Spirite (Paris) as well as the Caodaist instructor "Union" that will put an end to the terrible "night- that His Holiness speaks. Though we have suffered mare", fratricidal world war, by which men are disagreeable rebuffs, in certain spiritualistic circles, obsessed and which is even now being prepared so we must heartily thank our friend, Mr. Hubert Fores- actively in Europe. tier, Editor-in-Chief of the Revue Spirite, who has Dogmas, and sectarianism confine man to a never made any objection to the insertion of a "paper" very reduced circle, where he sees only too small a designed to establish confidence in the brethren of part of the solar world that enlightens him. He must Vietnam, helping them to emerge from their martyr- evolve. So, he must seek to know, to progress, in dom. On the contrary! He has always been happy to order not to mark time. Religion must not be for him intervene on their behalf, especially to facilitate my like a cord that encircles a child who already knows task, in certain International Spiritualistic Congresses how to Walk, but whose nurse, obtuse or unreason- (Barcelona 1934, Glasgow 1937), and give the widest ably fearful of her responsibility, still holds strongly publicity to certain documents in favour of Caodaism. in her hands, under the pretext that the child may In theosophical circles, the same understand- lose his balance and fall. ing, in general, in spite of certain anticaodaist 212 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 213 elements, incapable of revising a once-cristallized judgment, and which have influenced other theoso- CONCLUSION phists... In the Service of Caodaism

I have given much of my life to Caodaism. I have shared its pain, its sorrows, its discouragements, at tragic times when doctors of philosophy and sons of hate were bullying it and persecuting it in hun- dreds of cynic or hypocritical ways. I have lived its joys, its hopes, its triumph, at happy moments when knights of the spirit and men of good will were grant- ing it a. truce or recognizing its right to more justice. In spite of precarious health, I have made these sufferings my own; they were sometimes added to my almost daily worries. To the trials of Caodaism were added, in a painful fraternity, my own karmic reparations. After overwhelming hopeless days, a ray of light has from time to time pierced the cloud, and the sun has swept the Ardennes fog. It was my health that, once more, recovered for a time; It was some newspaper or letter which, by air or sea mail, brought from Indochina joyous news which made me exult. For 13 years, I have thus lived the life of my brethren of Vietnam, making it one with my own. I have regretted a thousand times having no more spiritual power, useful relations, talent and luci- dity, in order to help them better in their constructive efforts as well as in their silent distresses. I would do much for them, and I feel, in all humility, that I have done very little! Forgive me, my good, my kind Viet- namese brethren, for having been so little the 214 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 215

Instructor in France that you solemnly named, for having been only the humble follower you familiarly APPENDIX call: Brother Gago About Mr. Chieu,ˆ the first Caodaist, la ReVue Rethel, 1937- 1938 Caodaiste (N 22, March 1933), on the occasion of his Nancy, 1939 disincarnation, brings us some details. 1) His childhood. ˛

The Phu Ngo-vˆ an-Chi˘ euˆ was born on the 28th ˛

of February 1878 at B`ınh-Tayˆ (Cho-L. ˛ on)´ in a modest house situated behind the pagoda dedicated to Quan-D- e,ˆ´ the Chinese Turenne. At birth, he refused his mother’s breast, and had to be given, instead of natural milk, rice soup. His parents who were very poor, later came to live at My-Tho,˜ and commended him to the care of his aunt, who sent him to school. Endowed with a quick intelligence, he soon was conspicuous and, when at twelve, he presented himself to the Adminis- trator of the province of My-Tho˜ to solicit a scholar- ship; it was granted. Admitted as a scholarship boarding student, first at primary school, then at the college of My-Tho,˜ he worked earnestly and passed with sussess his competition for a government posi- tion. At that time, this envied position was the crown- ing touch to a French-Vietnamese secondary educa- tion. Aged 21 years, the young man contented him- self with it, for want of being able to carry his study further, and in order to help his parents. 2) His life as an official, and his religious Voca- tion. The new official was appointed to the 216 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF CAODAISM GABRIEL GOBRON - Pham. Xuanˆ Thai´ dich. 217

Immigration Service, at Sai-G` on.` He spent three years there, from 1899 to 1902. Having a natural tendency TABLE OF CONTENTS for religious things, he liked to tell the stories of saints and adventures of the immortals of antique Editor’s note 3 China that he had heard narrated by Chinese com- Introduction by D. G. 4 rades, when he was at his aunt’s, who was married to Origins of Vietnamese spiritism 18 a Chinese. One day, one of his friends surprised him Fundamental principles 39

relating a tale of saints to some little Chinese pupils at Caodaism and Victor Hugo 59 ˛

Cho-L. ˛ on´ to whom he gave private lessons every What are the Caodaists? 68 evening. He had a great respect for genii and saints. Caodaism at the At home he had erected an altar in honour of Quan- International Congresses 72 Thanh´ D- e-Quˆ´ anˆ . He often recited the "Minh-Thanh-´ Popes of Caodaism 81 Kinh", a book of prayers whose author was the spirit Inauguration of the Caodaist of that great general, a man of high virtue, who fasted Temple of Phnom-Penh 89 two days per month. Doctrinal precisions 114 In 1902, during a spiritualistic seance that Caodaist ritual 143 ˛ took place at Thu-D`au-Mˆ otˆ. , where he was present, a Spiritual directions superior Spirit was manifested and, after.having (Extract of a letter) 167 revealed to him his future religious mission, advised Caodaism and its various branches 176 him to practise the D- ao. without delay. Caodaism, a state Religion, the national Religion of Vietnam 188 What His Eminency Tr`an-quang-Vinhˆ thinks of 192 Essential elements of Caodaism 196 Some words from the Holy See 199 Conclusion: In the service of Caodaism 213 Appendix About Mr. Chieuˆ 215