1. THE FIVE PRECEPTS PAST AND PRESENT

By HUỆ KHẢI (Dũ Lan LÊ ANH DŨNG)

RELIGION Publishing House (Hanoi 2014)

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CONTENTS

FROM HEART TO HEART

THE FIVE PRECEPTS PAST AND PRESENT

I. THE FIVE PRECEPTS IN THE FIRST AND THE SECOND UNIVERSALISM

II. THE FIVE PRECEPTS IN THE THIRD UNIVERSALISM

III. THE EVERLASTING, EVERYWHERE VALUE OF THE FIVE PRECEPTS

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FROM HEART TO HEART

The Five Precepts are very fundamental and essential in Caodai teaching. They are to be strictly observed by not only the Caodai novice but also those who have joined Caodaism for years, even the religion’s officials and dignitaries as well.

Without a strict observance of the Five Precepts, human dignity is absent. If so, we cannot be true humans, let alone become divinities.

Therefore, each Caodai disciple should thoroughly understand the Five Precepts in various aspects such as their historical beginnings, their applications to the disciple’s self-cultivation and meditation, etc.

With a comprehensive understanding, the disciple can realize why Caodai God and other Heavenly Powers always remind everybody of observing the Five Precepts. Then, each member of all Caodai communities will consciously and decisively change himself or herself, by voluntarily observing the Five Precepts.

In order to offer more understanding of the Five Precepts, we are honoured to publish another Huệ Khải’s booklet, entitled The Five Precepts Past and Present.

As implied in the title, the writer concisely and clearly presents a brief history of the Five Precepts from the East to the West, throughout the Three Eras of Universalism, some major milestones of which are Brahmanism, Judaism, Jainism, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, Catholicism, and Caodaism, of course. Especially, the writer quotes lots of holy messages on the Five Precepts since the beginning of Caodaism till March 1975.

May 2014

The Programme for Joining Hands to Publish Free Caodai Books