II. INTERFAITH DIALOGUES
IN THE VIETNAMESE HISTORY
1. In nineteen pre-Caodai
centuries
While the Occidental interfaith dialogues did not begin until
the end of the 19th century, the Vietnamese spirit of religious harmony existed
very early in history. Vietnamese interfaith dialogues amongst Confucianism,
Daoism, and Buddhism (the Three Teachings) have been recorded a lot in
literature handed down from the past; below are some typical cases.[1]
a. Viên Chiếu (999-1091)
Zen Master Viên Chiếu, whose
lay name was Mai Trực, was of the seventh generation of Quán Bích
(Wall-Contemplation) Zen school
of Vietnam
In daytime the brilliant sun shines,
Then comes the night
bathed in bright moonlight.[2]
He meant that Buddhas and
Confucian Sages had different functions in life, but their ultimate purposes were
to shine bright light to the world or, in other words, to help sentient beings
to attain enlightenment. To make his idea clear, he gave this example: Sunlight
is necessary for day; and similarly, moonlight for night.
b. Trần Thái Tông (reigned 1226-1258)
King Trần Thái Tông, whose
real name was Trần Cảnh, was a native of Tức Mặc village, Thiên Trường
prefecture (today Mỹ Lộc district, Nam
In men’s ignorance the Three Teachings
are of different kinds.
When the origin is known,
they get the same enlightened mind.[3]
In his Giới Sát Sinh Văn (Essay on Commandment against Killing), he
pointed out the similarities of the Three Teachings on doing good deeds:
“Confucian texts instruct us to perform benevolence and make
virtues. Daoist canons exhort us to love people and animals. Buddhist sūtras
advocate the commandment against killing.”
c. Hương Hải (1631-1718)
Zen Master
Hương Hải, whose real name was Tổ Cầu, was a native of Áng Độ village, Chân
Phúc district (today Nghi Lộc district, Nghệ An province). He used to be
prefect of Triệu Phong prefecture (today Quảng Trị province), then became a
monk, styled Huyền Cơ Thiện Giác, also known by dharma name of Minh Châu Hương
Hải, on the islet of Chàm in Quảng Nam province.
In a poem, he wrote that
originally the Three Teachings were of the same noumenon. (原來三教同一体.) Thus, in his opinion the Three Teachings have the common origin.
In a poem entitled Lý Sự Dung Thông (Principle-phenomena
interpenetration), he also used Mou Bo’s images of carriages and boats to
compare to the Three Teachings’ means and functions in life. In his conclusion,
the Three Teachings were compared to three carriages reaching the same
destination.
Comparing the pairs of
Confucian categories (Three Bonds and
Five Constant Virtues), with Daoist ones (Three Origins and Five Vital Forces), and with those of Buddhism (Threefold Refuge and Five Precepts), he
wrote the following beautiful poem:
Renown doctrines and religions are of three:
Confucianism aims at helping nations,
ruling people, rectifying families.
Daoism focuses on nurturing vital force
and spirit serenity,
On medicine to heal evil diseases,
and hard practice of alchemy.[4]
Buddhism liberates sentient beings
from three-path suffering,[5]
So their ancestors can attain deliverance too.
Confucianism uses Three Bonds
and Five Constant Virtues.
Daoism preserves Five Vital Forces
and Three Origins.
Buddhism teaches Threefold Refuge
and Five Precepts.
They are like three vehicles on the same path.
d. Lê Quý Đôn (1726-1784)
He was styled Doãn Hậu with
his literary name of Quế Đường, a native of Diên Hà village, Duyên Hà district,
Tiên Hưng prefecture, Sơn Nam (now in Thái Bình province). He held many
important official posts under the Later Lê dynasty. In Kiến Văn Tiểu Lục (Miscellaneous Records of Things Heard and Seen),
vol. IX: Thiền Dật (Leisure in Zen),
Lê Quý Đôn expressed his respect to the equality of the Three Teachings and
advised some narrow-minded Confucian scholars as follows:
“Buddhist and Daoist teachings are of clarity, stillness and
emptiness, ultimate and tranquil extinction, without entanglement in outside
world. They are also the teachings wise people use for self-cultivation. With
respect to Buddhist and Daoist profound presentations on ethics as well as body
and spirit, none of them lacks miraculous meaning. Due to prejudice, we
Confucian scholars often criticise them. Should we do so?”
e. Ngô Thì Sĩ (1726-1780)
Ngô Thì Sĩ, styled Thế Lộc
with literary name of Ngọ Phong Tiên Sinh, and Daoist name of Nhị Thanh Cư Sĩ
(A Retired Scholar in Cavern of Nhị Thanh), was Ngô Thì Nhậm’s father and Phan
Huy Ích’s father-in-law. When Tam Giáo (Three Teachings) Pagoda in Kim Bảng
village was restored in 1760, Ngô Thì Sĩ composed a stele-inscribed text
conveying his opinion on the Three Teachings as follows:
“Buddhist advice on Pure Land, Daoist view of immortal realm, and
Confucian theory of moral retribution are completely correct. Buddhism
advocates compassion and mercy, Daoism maintains serenity, Confucianism uses
the theory of benevolence, righteousness, faithfulness, and uprightness to open
Heaven’s Three Bonds and Five Constant Virtues to set up an order for human
beings. It is essential to fuse myriads of beings of the visible world with
metaphysical realm, and interfuse myriads of differences into One. Being
engaged in worldly activities and quitting them have different functions but
are of one essence. I think all teachings are one. We should be free and wise,
and should avoid religious discrimination. Enlightenment needs only Nature,
whose maintenance requires only Mind. Śākyamuni’s extinction of distress,
Laozi’s emptiness, and Confucius’s non-speech basically refer to Mind
rectification.”
f. Phan Huy Ích (1750-1822)
Phan Huy Ích was Ngô Thì Sĩ’s
son-in-law and Ngô Thì Nhậm’s younger brother-in-law. He was styled Chi Hòa
with literary names of Dụ Am and Đức Hiên. In 1796, in the preface to Ngô Thì Nhậm’s works entitled Trúc Lâm Đại Chân Viên Giác Thanh
(Complete Enlightenment Voice of Great Trueness in Bamboo Grove), he expressed
his viewpoint on the Three Teachings as follows:
“Although Śākyamuni Buddha’s doctrine aims at immateriality
(śūnyatā), its chief purpose is to get rid of all hindrances in order to attain
true suchness (bhūtatathatā). It is said that to enlighten mind and behold the
Buddha-nature is the most important thing. If compared with Confucian doctrine
of sincere thoughts and perfect knowledge, there is no contradiction indeed.”
g. Trịnh Tuệ (the 18th century)
Having passed Trạng Nguyên (the First Degree of the
Three-Degree Exam), Trịnh Tuệ became Tể
Tướng (Grand Councillor) during the period of Lê kings and Trịnh lords. He
called himself Trúc Lâm Cư Sĩ (Lay
Buddhist in Bamboo Grove). In his essay entitled Tam Giáo Nhất Nguyên Thuyết (The Theory of the Common Origin of the
Three Teachings), he wrote:
“Confucianism has the theory of Tam Tài (the Three Powers), Buddhism
that of Tam Thế (the Three Worlds), and
Daoism that of Tam Thanh (the Three Purities). Like the sun, the moon, and stars in the sky, or the three legs of a
cauldron, the Three Teachings are inseparable.
. . .
“Therefore, the Three Teachings are the same. These three currents
are of one principle. They do not contrast each other like water and fire,
black and white, sweetness and bitterness… So, it is known that Confucianism is
Buddhism and Buddhism is also Confucianism, Daoism is Confucianism and
Confucianism is also Daoism.”
Finally, Trịnh Tuệ concluded:
He who thinks
the Three Teachings are divergent,
Doesn’t know that Śākyamuni, Laozi,
and Confucius are of the same current.
h. Toàn Nhật (1750?-1832?)
Zen Master Toàn Nhật lived
under the Tây Sơn dynasty. He judged that, despite their different applications
in the world, the Three Teachings were of only one entity and could help each
other to cultivate, save, and pacify the people. In his fiction entitled Hứa Sử Truyện Vãn (The Story of Monk Hứa
Sử), Zen Master Toàn Nhật wrote:
Ancient teachings were set up
and handed down to us.
The advent of Confucianism is
to pacify the world.
That of Buddhism is to save the living
and deliver the dead.
That of Daoism is to destroy evil
and kill demons.
In separation, Sages’ teachings are three.
In collation, the Three Teachings are
of one family.
He asserted that any of the
Three Teachings could not exclude one another; otherwise, it would be very
dangerous. He viewed their inseparability as follows:
They help each other to cultivate
and benefit all human beings in this world.
They are inseparable
like three legs of a cauldron,
like the Three Lights in the sky,
like the Three Bonds of a man.[6]
If lacking one, man will be in danger.
Finally, he compared the Three Teachings to three diverse paths
leading to the same destination:
Undoubtedly, they take three directions
but lead to the same destination.
The above-mentioned opinions
were also expressed in his work entitled Tam
Giáo Nguyên Lưu Ký (Records on the Origin of the Three Teachings):
Thus, the Sages of the Three Teachings
situationally have sermons and
body-transformations for man’s salvation.
Like the sky brightened by the Three Lights,
this world is enlightened
by the Three Teachings.
A three-legged cauldron will lose balance
and overturn if one leg is removed; likewise,
the Three Teachings must be inseparable.
Confucianism is as brilliant as a constellation.
Daoism is like a full moon shining everywhere.
Buddhism is compared to the sun
shedding light on earth forever.
i. Giác Lâm (the 19th century)
Bhikkhu Giác Lâm lived
at Hồng Phúc temple, in Hoài Đức prefecture, Hà Đông province, under the reign
of king Minh Mệnh (reigned 1820-1841). His Hồng
Mông Tạo Hóa Chư Lục Bản Hạnh (Records of Chaos Creator’s Own Deeds), or Hồng
Mông Hạnh (Chaos Creator’s Deeds)
for short, conveyed his opinion on
the Three Teachings as follows:
The Three Teachings are like trees of the same
root with innumerable branches, and leaves.
Those who have superficial knowledge
mistakenly think that the Three Teachings are of
different origins.
2. In
Caodaism
Caodaism appeared in Vietnam
Religious harmony is a self-existing and everlasting value of
Caodaism. It also reflects the faith’s identity and policy:
Let’s get together in the stream of doctrines
Let’s see together the Caodai policy
Then there’s neither discrimination between
East and West nor religious intolerance.[7]
Founded in Saigon in early 1965, Cơ Quan Phổ Thông Giáo Lý
Cao Đài Giáo Việt Nam (the Vietnam Cống Quỳnh street Caodai
Church
The Organ should be mentioned here because it experienced
interfaith dialogues for lots of years. In those days, however, the Organ was
merely used to the term “comparative religion” rather than “interfaith
dialogues”.
In 1978, indeed, the Organ established Hội Đồng Nghiên Cứu
Giáo Lý Đại Đạo (the Council for Studying
the Great Dao Teaching), which carried out weekly meetings on Saturday
afternoons from 16 pm to 18 pm. The Council consisted of eight departments for
Baha’i Faith, Brahmanism, Buddhism, Caodaism, Christianity, Confucianism,
Daoism, and Theosophy. The ninth department was Comparison and Synthesis. Each
Saturday each department presented a free topic so as to share some basic
knowledge of the related religion. In 1978, the Council completed twenty-two
free topic presentations related to Baha’i Faith, Brahmanism, Buddhism,
Caodaism, Christianity, Confucianism, Daoism, and Theosophy.
Besides twenty-two free topics, the Council completed three
rounds of comparison on three topics: (a) Liberation; (b) Nirvana or paradise;
(c) Human beings. The Council also finished comparing various teachings and completed
a manuscript on the topic “All Teachings Have
the Same Principle.”
Following the same approach, in subsequent years the Council completed
more topics like: All Beings in Heaven
and Earth Are of One Noumenon, The Return
Way
HUỆ KHẢI
