The New Law, front cover
(1927).
VI. EXTENDING THE THIỀN
LÂM GREAT CEREMONY
According to the given
programme, the Inauguration ceremony was to be closed at the end of Saturday 20
November 1926. Nonetheless, due to continual flows of people pouring into the
Thiền Lâm holy house, the ceremony had to be extended, and lasted three months
rather than three days and three nights. During those three months, there were
lots of significant events.
Relatively, the following
events are listed in the order of their importance. Each event may include
several steps in sequence, which are recorded in the order of time.
1. The Caodai calendar
During the séance on
Wednesday 02 February 1927 (the first day of the traditional Tết), Caodai God
said, “This day last year when I
established Caodaism, I had only twelve disciples...” [1] Then He added that within
a year from that establishment, the number of Caodai followers amounted to over
forty thousand thanks to the Supreme Being’s miraclous power and the devotion
of His six apostles as well.[2]
According to the above
holy message, the Caodai calendar should commence on the first day of the year Tiger
(Saturday 13 February 1926). In other words, whenever the Vietnamese people’s
traditional Tết begins, the Caodai congregation also starts its own new
calendar.
During the said séance,
Caodai God twice praised Đầu Sư Thái
Thơ Thanh (Buddhist Cardinal Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ) for his devotion. He promoted Giáo Sư Thái Bính Thanh (Buddhist Bishop
Lâm Quang Bính) to Phối Sư (Buddhist
Archbishop); Giáo Hữu Thượng Bản
Thanh (Daoist Priest Đoàn Văn Bản) to Giáo
Sư (Daoist Bishop), and Lễ Sanh Thượng
Trò Thanh (Daoist Student-Priest Nguyễn Văn Trò) to Giáo Hữu (Daoist Priest).
Caodai God said, “I bestow favour upon all of you, including
My absent children. I am going to raise the beaked basket, and you all are to
crawl under it to receive My blessing.” Before leaving the séance, God
repeated, “Again, I bestow blessing upon
you all, My children.” [3]
2. Establishing Tân
Luật (the New Law)
On Tuesday 30 November
1926, Caodai God complained that, in preparation for Tân Luật (the Caodai New Law), just Legist-Censor Như Nhãn finished
the bill assigned to his Buddhist branch (Thái).[4]
During the repeat séance,
His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch commanded that at the beginning of the next month all
dignitaries should be present at the Thiền Lâm holy house so as to establish
the New Law. He also requested that the final version of the bill should be
available then for approval by Caodai God.
On Monday 06 December
1926, Caodai God requested the apostles to stay frequently at the Thiền Lâm
holy house so as to establish the New Law, composed of three parts: (a) Meditation House Law, stipulating the
meditation practice. (b) Religious Law, stipulating
the administration of the Caodai congregation. (c) Secular Law, stipulating
the life of Caodai followers.
On Saturday 18 December
1926, at the Thiền Lâm holy house, His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch instructed Daoist
Cardinal Thượng Trung Nhựt (Lê Văn Trung) to request dignitaries to temporarily
cease their diffusing the new faith so as to focus on the New Law
establishment. On Christmas day (24 December 1926), they all would have to
gather at the holy house. The three Principal Archbishops (namely, Thái Thơ
Thanh, Thượng Tương Thanh, and Ngọc Trang Thanh) would have to submit their assigned
bills then. In the following day (25 December 1926), the bills would be debated
under the co-chair of Daoist Cardinal Thượng Trung Nhựt (Lê Văn Trung, as the chair) and
Confucian Cardinal Ngọc Lịch Nguyệt (Lê Văn Lịch, as the deputy chair). All dignitaries were to join
the debate in the following order: first, the Buddhist branch (Thái); then, the Confucian (Ngọc); and finally, the Daoist (Thượng).
On Friday 24 December
1926, His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch instructed Daoist Cardinal Thượng Trung Nhựt
(Lê Văn Trung) to conduct the debate on the bills of the New Law (Tân Luật) in three sessions: morning
(6-11am), afternoon (14-18pm), and evening (20-23pm). If the bills could not be
finalised, they would carry on with the debate likewise in the following day.
· The first debate
On Saturday 25 December
1926, His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch blamed Daoist Cardinal Thượng Trung Nhựt (Lê
Văn Trung) for his unsuccessful chairing of the whole day’s debate on the bills
of the New Law (Tân Luật). His
Holiness Lý added:
“As for the process of passing the bills into the New Law, if our Master
[Caodai God] let Me take charge, it would be completed within two hours only.
Nonetheless, if I Myself established the law, none of Caodaists could
obediently follow it.
That is why our Master gives His disciples full rights to establish the
law. He deliberately wishes to have some human power contribute to the law, and
then He will exercise his Divine power. Indeed, that is His virtue of justice.
So, I first assign Thái Thơ Thanh the amalgamation of the three draft
bills.[5] Within a week, your amalgamation must be completed.
Next week, it will be the turn of Thượng Tương Thanh. The week after next, it
will be Ngọc Trang Thanh’s.[6] That is to say, despite any circumstances, the draft
New Law must be completed within three weeks, and then the debate will be
repeated at the [Thiền Lâm] holy house.” [7]
On Saturday 15 January
1927, His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch instructed the apostles to hold a séance to
evoke His presence in the Thiền Lâm main hall before conducting the debate. During
the debate process, the dignitaries were to wear their major ceremonial
dresses, not minor ones,[8] so as to pay reverence to Caodai God and the Heavenly Powers, who invisibly
witnessed the debate.
· The second debate
On Sunday 16 January
1927, Spiritual Pope Lý Thái Bạch revealed that Caodai God had instructed Him “to base on the original text by the
Church’s dignitaries, and only amend the secret mechanism of the law.” His
Holiness Lý instructed the dignitaries in ceremonial formalities to present the
draft New Law right before His statue on the God’s Altar. These formalities were to be carried out on that Sunday
afternoon. The document would be left there the whole night. In the following
Monday, both Daoist and Confucian Legist-Censors would hold a séance so that
His Holiness Lý would be able to give instructions on submitting the document
to Hiệp Thiên Đài (the Heaven-Joining
Body).[9]
On Monday 17 January
1926, His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch gave instructions on ceremonial formalities to
submit the draft New Law to Dharma Protector Phạm Công Tắc and Thượng Phẩm Cao
Quỳnh Cư (while Thượng Sanh Cao Hoài Sang was at work in Saigon).
· Putting the New Law into effect
On Wednesday 16 February
1927, His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch complained:
“Your Master [God] instructed you to put the New Law into
effect at once but the Law has still been left before My statue for three days.
How regretable that I have not got a physical body like yours!
Since the Church establishment till now, you have not completed
anything. Take it right now. Tomorrow you must manage to put it into effect
without delay. If the Supreme Being blamed Me, it would be your fault!” [10]
On Monday 07 March 1927,
Caodai God approved the New Law. He said to Đầu
Sư Thượng Trung Nhựt (Daoist Cardinal Lê Văn Trung), “Trung, let your co-religionists know that the New Law has been
established already. The Church is to bring it into force.” [11]
Tân Luật was first printed at l’Imprimerie
Commerciale C. Ardin, Saigon, 14 pages (15x24cm), and its distribution started at
the beginning of June 1927.
3. The Orthodox Dharma for female
dignitaries
During the séance on
Wednesday 02 February 1927 (the first day of the traditional Tết), His Holiness
Lý Thái Bạch arrived, establishing Pháp
Chánh Truyền (the Orthodox Dharma) for female dignitaries of Cửu Trùng Đài (the Nonuple hierarchy),
from Đầu Sư (Cardinal) down to Lễ Sanh (Student-Priest). Thus, the
female hierarchy excludes the ranks of Giáo
Tông (Pope) and Chưởng Pháp
(Legist-Censor). Female Đầu Sư is
subordinate to Giáo Tông and Chưởng Pháp of the three branches.
His Holiness Lý also
instructed in the ceremonial dress for each rank of female dignitaries. Unlike
the male ones, all female dignitaries are to dress in white because they are
not split into three branches Thái,
Thượng, and Ngọc (say Buddhist,
dressing in yellow; Daoist, blue; and Confucian, red).
Due to the absence of
several female dignitaries, His Holiness Lý requested Giáo Sư Hương Thanh (Bishop Lâm Ngọc Thanh) to send letters,
inviting them all to be present at the holy house on the fifteenth of the first
lunar month to be conferred ranks by Caodai God.
Later, on Tuesday 15
February 1927, at the Thiền Lâm holy house, Caodai God conferred four dignitary
ranks on His female disciples as follows:
- Two Phối Sư (Archbishops): Lâm Ngọc Thanh,
and Lê Thị Ngân.
- Eight Giáo Sư (Bishops): Bùi Thị Giàu (Nguyễn
Ngọc Tương’s spouse), Đãi Thị Huệ (Lê Văn Trung’s spouse), and Nguyễn Thị Hiếu
(Cao Quỳnh Cư’s spouse), etc.
- Twenty-eight Giáo Hữu (Priests): Ca Thị Thế (Ca Minh
Chương’s daughter), Lâm Thị Tiếng (Lâm Quang Bính’s daughter), Nguyễn Thị Huyền
(Nguyễn Văn Tương’s daughter), Nguyễn Thị Hương (Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ’s daughter),
Nguyễn Thị Nhiều (Phạm Công Tắc’s spouse), and Trần Thị Lựu (Cao Quỳnh Diêu’s
spouse), etc.
- Fifty-six Lễ Sanh (Student-Priests): Nguyễn Thị
Sanh (Trương Hữu Đức’s spouse), and Nguyễn Thị Thơm (Lê Thế Vĩnh’s spouse), etc.
4. The Orthodox
Dharma for the Heaven-Joining Body
On Sunday 13 February
1927, Caodai God established Pháp Chánh
Truyền (the Orthodox Dharma) for Hiệp
Thiên Đài (the Heaven-Joining Body).
The highest was Hộ Pháp (Dharma Protector) Phạm Công
Tắc, administering the Pháp (Dharma)
branch. On the right of Hộ Pháp was Thượng Phẩm Cao Quỳnh Cư, administering
the Đạo (Dao) branch. On the left of Hộ Pháp was Thượng Sanh Cao Hoài Sang, administering the Thế (World) branch.
Below them were Thập Nhị Thời Quân (the Twelve
Sovereigns of Time), split into three branches as follows:
The Pháp (Dharma) branch included: Bảo
Pháp (Dharma Conservator) Nguyễn Trung Hậu, Hiến Pháp (Dharma Dedicator) Trương Hữu Đức, Khai Pháp (Dharma Developer) Trần Duy Nghĩa, and Tiếp Pháp (Dharma Receiver) Trương Văn
Tràng.
The Đạo (Dao) branch included: Bảo
Đạo (Dao Conservator) Ca Minh Chương, Hiến
Đạo (Dao Dedicator) Phạm Văn Tươi, Khai
Đạo (Dao Developer) Phạm Tấn Đãi, and Tiếp
Đạo (Dao Receiver) Cao Đức Trọng.
The Thế (World) branch inluded: Bảo
Thế (World Conservator) Lê Thiện Phước, Hiến
Thế (World Dedicator) Nguyễn Văn Mạnh, Khai
Thế (World Developer) Thái Văn Thâu, and Tiếp Thế (World Receiver) Lê Thế Vĩnh.
5. The character Khí
at the Dharma Protector altar
On Monday 13 December
1926, His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch instructed the apostles to make a long piece of
felt (1.5x3 metres), embroidered with the character Khí 氣 (Breath); it was placed
at the Dharma Protector altar, facing the God’s Altar in the Thiền Lâm main
hall. Using the beaked basket, His Holiness Lý wrote the character in the style
of amulet. Exactly a week later (on Monday 20 December), answering an apostle’s
question about making the character Khí,
Caodai God told to use red felt and yellow embroidery thread.[12]
6. Temporary “storey” for the Heaven-Joining Body
On Thursday 20 January
1926, His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch instructed the apostles to construct a
temporary “storey” for Hiệp Thiên Đài (the
Heaven-Joining Body) at the Thiền Lâm holy house. It was 4 metres deep, about
3.6 metres high, and as wide as the holy house. A staircase was to be made so
that Dharma Protector would be able to enter the main hall right from Hiệp
Thiên Đài “storey”.
7. Making the seals of Cardinals and Legist-Censors
On Saturday 19 February
1927, at the Thiền Lâm holy house, His Holiness Lý instructed in designing
three round seals for Chưởng Pháp (Legist-Censors)
of the three branches. Each seal consists of an outer ring with the French words
“3e AMNISTIE DE DIEU EN ORIENT” [3rd Amnesty of God in the Orient]. Each inner
circle bears six Chinese characters 大道三期普度 [Đại Đạo Tam Kỳ Phổ Độ,
say the Third Universalism of the Great Dao]. Each seal center shows a
different image: a patra (almsbowl,
for the Buddhidt branch), a dust whisk (Daoist), or the Spring and Autumn
Annals (Confucian).
The three round seals to
be made for Đầu Sư (Cardinals) of the
three branches are a little smaller than the ones for Chưởng Pháp. Their outer rings and inner circles bear the same
French words and Chinese characters as described above. Each seal center shows
a different Chinese character: 太 (Thái, for the Buddhidt branch), 上 (Thượng, Daoist), or 玉 (Ngọc, Confucian).
In order to prevent fake
imitations, after the six seals of Chưởng
Pháp and Đầu Sư had been made,
they all were to be officially registered at the court of Tây Ninh province.[13]
8. Establishing the Lộc Giang holy house
On Wednesday 16 February
1927, Caodai God arrived. The Supreme Being requested Yết Ma (Karma) Trần Văn Giống, owner of the Phước Long pagoda, to
kneel close to the evocation table. God said that He accepted Spiritual Pope Lý
Thái Bạch’s request to convert Giống’s pagoda in Chợ Đệm into the Lộc Giang
holy house, and to rank its owner Thái
Giáo Hữu (Buddhist Priest).
Caodai God instructed
Cardinal Thượng Trung Nhựt (Lê Văn Trung) and Dharma Protector Phạm Công Tắc to
send Khai Pháp (Dharma Developer)
Trần Duy Nghĩa and Tiếp Pháp (Dharma
Receiver) Trương Văn Tràng to the Lộc Giang holy house, where this pair of
mediums would help Priest Thái Giống Thanh hold séances to introduce the new
faith to the local inhabitants.[14]
9. Change in the number of dignitaries
On Thursday 09 December
1926, due to serious illness, Daoist Legist-Censor Nguyễn Văn Tương (born in
1879) passed away in his home village of Hữu Đạo, Cai Lậy district, Mỹ Tho
province. Over a month later, during a séance on Saturday 15 January 1927,
Caodai God conferred the rank of Acting Thượng
Chưởng Pháp (Daoist Legist-Censor) on apostle Trần Đạo Quang.
At midnight of Saturday
25 December 1926, His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch conferred the rank of Thượng Giáo Sư (Daoist Bishop) on
Latapie, a Frenchman.
On Saturday 15 January 1927,
Caodai God conferred the rank of Thái Đầu
Sư (Buddhist Cardinal) on apostle Dương Văn Nương. God revealed that His
Holiness Lý Thái Bạch had dismissed Thích Thiện Minh (Monk Như Nhãn’s adept)
due to Thiện Minh’s negligence of his duties as the Buddhist Cardinal.
On Saturday 19 February
1927, at the Thiền Lâm holy house, His Holiness Lý reminded Cardinal Thượng
Trung Nhựt that he should manage to finish the parish register, appoint Ban Trị Sự (Boards of Administration)
and chức việc (officials or elders)
to serve at hương đạo (village
congregations). In a few months’ time, new followers would unceasingly
multiply, His Holiness Lý would bestow dignitary ranks on more disciples so as
to have more people to deal with congregational routines.
HUỆ KHẢI
