CAO DAI HOLY SEE

CAO DAI HOLY SEE

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  CAO DAI HOLYSEE Overview On the basis of doctrine of the “Three Pluralist Religions” selected the best of the three great long religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism. Cao Dai religion, the official name: Dai Dao Tam Ky Pho Do was already founded, Tay Ninh was chosen to be the Holy area. Caodaism is the 3rd largest religion in Vietnam, after Buddhism and Roman Catholicism. The name “Cao Dai” means “high palace” which refers to the supreme palace where God reigns. The word is also used as God’s symbolic name. History Ngo Van Chieu, a civil servant of the Cochinchina government began to receive messages from a spirit called Duc Cao Dai, whom he believed to be God. After three years of studying and worshipping God, he shared his spiritual discoveries with others in Saigon. At the end of the year At Suu (1926), Cao Dai instructed a small group of mediums to found a new religion. One of the mediums, Le Van Trung was named by God to be acting Giao Tong (Pope). Caodaism was formally founded by a group of 247 disciples. On October 15th Binh Dan lunar year, it was November 19th 1926 the Cao Dai was solemnly opened to the public at Thuyen Lam pagoda, still called Go Ken pagoda. Afterwards, the officials, the religious believers of its religion take this as the “Religion Zodiac opening day”. In those days, there have not been the Saigon – Tay Ninh line. People who even visited the Ba Den mountain had to be gone by ox cart or horse cart. The Tay Ninh forest was still thick with many tigers and bears. But the people from the western provinces and Saigon still came up to in the noisy crowds, both attended the procession and got the religion to pray. During the three months, the Go Ken pagoda were very merry, noisy and glorious. Although there still have been here some old trees left, the pagoda’s scence turned back to the quiet and deserted but it seems to be those old days’ pictures are still on the golden glorious – worshipping idols. In March the year of 1927, the Holy See was moved to the new area larger than 100 hectares, is the urban area of the Holy See now. The CaiDaists called it as the legend of the “new pagoda”. It was said that: “That piece of land is the Holy See. Deeper than 300 metres as a river, in the center of the earth, is adjacent to the six sources, as the six dragons twisted together with one another. That source of water is right at the peak of the mountain called Six Dragons Protection...” (The Religious history built the base – Mrs. Dragon Head Huong Hieu). Since then it was beginning a great work – site of contruction, contributed by the forces and assets of the religious people. Architecture On the part of the land nearly 100 hectares of the present Holy See surrounded by the walls by the the twelve gates are the horizontaly and verticaly wide streets. The sacred imposing monument is about the Northwest side near the Flower Garden Gate, the principal side looks at the West. The straightforward with the two empty storied tower steeples 27 meters – in height. Between the two towers is an architecture of three storied floors called Hiep Thien Dai, combination with the accord details of the typical religious architectures. The Saint temple is the 22 meters – in width, 93 meters – in length also is divided into the 3 spaces of function: Hiep Thien Dai, Cuu Trung Dai and Bat Quai Dai in accordance with the model of the organization of the Cao Daism religion... The false ferro –
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  concrete tile roofs,each side was built in 3 stairs of the roofs makes you a long feeling, splendid imposing structure. Inside it, below the roofs is ferro – concrete ceiling are also made in dome – shaped architecture modeled by starry sky. There are so many detail as the strings, leaves, grapes, flowers – shaped door frames and the tender lotus leaves. The dragon – shaped floating colunms were along the inner decoration, and the idols of the God’s eye (an eye of God) with the sunshine. On the summit of the roof of the architecture between the two storied steples, drum is the idol of Buddha Di Lac in the center of the lotus buds. It’s about the middle of the roofs vertically with the tower named Nghinh Phong Dai 17 meters – in height, including two – storied tower, the upper is round, the below is square, hemisphere roof symbolized the round sky, and the square land. On the peak putting the idols of the horse – dragon according to the Chinese legend. The back tower position of the Bat Quai Dai is 19 meters – in height above it, is the idols three buds on according to the oral traditional storied from Indian: Chrisna, Brahma and God of Siva. The Saint temple is used to worship Duc Chi Ton altogether with the religious chiefs, Gods, Saints tops of the three religions. Ngu Chi under the Caodaism’s doctrine. In front of the Saint’s temple is a big yard with the two spectacles on the two side called the Dai Dong Xa yard, the place where the religious believers and the pilgrims come back to see the processions of Co Mau, Scent Dragon dancing, Four Spirituals on each of the Great Festival. On the occasion of glorifying of 9th of January, this is also a place of display of the 16 stalls of exhibition. Each stall has its own movable nice idols described an ancient story to express the heart of: Loyal, Righteous, Polite, Intellectual, confidence of the old people. Both sides of the Dai Dong yard still have the two sides of the natural forests 10 hectares wide, as the souvenir of the intact primary time. All the same as on the Pham Ho Phap Avenue across in front of the sacred Temple, there is still another important temple: The Bao An Tu temple is presently taken as the Mother Buddha Temple with 18 meters – in width and 61 meters long, but by a super architecture, affected by the traditional folk architecture makes the people like to look at. In the part of the front roof, the four storied up and down tower; but the curved storied rooffs twisted lightly, decorated details are softly and beautiful. This is a place where the officials, the CaoDaist believers make the festival of Dieu Tri Cung in the Great Festival most merriest crowded with people on the lunar August 15th . Hundreds of stalls exhibit fruits and products to display the skillful by the handicraft men come from everywhere of the country. Since 22h to 24h at night, thousands of people gather inside and outside of the Bao An Tu to worship the Mother Buddha and witness the main ceremony of the Yen Dieu Tri Festival. In front of the Bao An Tu, opposite the street is the United Flower Garden, was formerly named, Hundred Flowers Garden. The various flowers come from everywhere were brought and planted since the past half century made a spacious full of the aroma and scene. Many sorts of orchid, flowers were shaped in thousands of strange images. From the very old trees with dragons – shaping twisted to the yellow apricot blossom gloriously in every Spring coming back again. The Saint Temple was begun to build on: December 14th 1936 and completed on October 27th 1947. Bao An Tu was also completed building on September 11th 1953 after more than a year’s contruction. But it has to wait for the occasion of the Great Festival of Duc Chi Ton on January 9th . On February 1st 1955 just to be inaugurated. Together with building the Holy Area, there were thousands of people from the Southern provinces came here to settle. They reclaimed the waste land, swamps, lakes. Then houses, markets,
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  hamlets, everywhere intothe villages in Hoa Thanh district. Away from the Gate number 4 in the City – one kilometer and a half, there is still the Long Hoa market which until so far has become one famous Commercial Center in Tay Ninh. Beliefs In the beginning was God, formless, nameless, unchangeable and all powerful. God divided His spirit into many parts, and created the universe, world, and its plants, animals and material components; each contains a part of God’s spirit. Animals and humans have two components: a visible, physical body and an invisible component which is composed of: a spirit (conscience) which is part of God’s spirit and a soul (or perispirit) which is responsible for emotions and personality. They believe in reincarnation where a person experiences a series of lives. One can break free of the reincarnation cycle by “cultivating self and finding God in self”. They believe in Karma: which one’s future lives are greatly influenced by deeds practiced in this life. If a person accumulates excessive negative Karma they will live another life after their death. Large amount of Karma debt will cause them to be reincarnated onto another planet which is much colder, darker and miserable. If they have purified themselves spirituall, and fulfilled all of their duties, they may reincarnate to another, happier life on earth. Or they might attain Heaven or Nirvana. Practises Members are instructed in their responsibilities to self, family, society and all of humanity. Separation from honors, riches and luxury is promoted. Caodaists worship and adore God, venerate Superior spirits and worship their ancestors. Within Caodaism, there are two sections: First is Exoterism: in which one’s duties (while conducting a normal family life) are to: practice good and avoid evil, show kindness to humans, other species, plants and nature, follow the Confucian with three duties: (between king and citizen, father and child, husband and wife), and five virtues (humanity, obligation, civility, knowledge, reliability). Second is Esoterism, praticed by the Chieu – Minh Vo Vi section which: practice meditation and practice “eradication of the inferior self” and develop the divine element. At their altar, they worship: God as symbolized by the Divine Eye, Sakyamuni who represents Buddha, Lao Tse who represents Taoism, Jesus Christ who represents Christianity, Confucius who represents Confucianism, Khuong Thai Cpng who represents Geniism. They venerate statues of Li Tai Pe, (representing Taoism), Quan Am Bo Tat (representing Buddhism) and Quan Thanh De Quan (representing Confucianism). These are considered the three “Lords of the Earth”.
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  They recognize threeSaints: Sun Yat Sen (1866 – 1925), leader of the Chinese Revolution of 1911; Victor Hugo (1802 – 1885), French poet; Trang Trinh (1492 – 1587), Vietnamese poet and prophet. Followers are expected to follow three rules: Pray at least once per day, at 6 AM, noon, 6 PM, and/or midnight; Eat from a vegetarian diet at least ten days each month; Observe five interdictions: Do not kill living beings, do not be dishonest, do not commit adultery, do not get drunk, do not sin by word. Caodaism recognizes 9 ranks of members: Pope, Censor Cardinal, Cardinal, Archbishop, Bishop, Priest, Student Priest, Subdignitaries and Followers. Women are limited to the level of Cardinal and below. Surrounding area Along the street in the city of the Holy See, the people can count the some twenties of the public villas. Some of it is the hospital, the other is the school and the buildings scattered the shade of the people who are working hard. Those are the officials, religious believers are working – without pay – for the Holy See. All of them have the same concern: Restoring and preservating the Holy See more and more spacious and beautifull in order to be worthy a place of worshipping of the hundreds thousands of people for each of the Great Festival as waited for every year. Conclusion After nearly 80 years, the Tay Ninh Holy See is still a very fine cultural symbol, absorbed the national spirit of the many people living in the Southern land region. So that together with the new opportunities of the country, those people believe in Cao Dai religion continues contributing their efforts to make the land prosperous, the religion glorious, and to strive to catch up with our friends to the future.