The temporary holy house in Tây Ninh province.
VII. LEAVING GÒ KÉN FOR
THE NEW LAND
1. Monk Như Nhãn’s demand for the return of the pagoda
At the end of August 1926, Monk Như Nhãn willingly let the
earliest Caodai apostles borrow the unfinished Thiền Lâm pagoda and transform
it into a holy house.
On Thursday 18, and into the small
hours of Friday 19 November 1926, after God’s ascension, the Thiền Lâm main
hall was disturbed by evil spirits due to the carelessness of apostle Lê Văn
Lịch (Confucian Cardinal Ngọc Lịch Nguyệt) while practising occult power to
protect the séance. Such a regrettable disturbance made Monk Như Nhãn lose his
belief in the new faith.
Moreover, being hard
pressed by his Buddhist congregation, at the beginning of December 1926, Monk
Như Nhãn decisively demanded the return of the pagoda. Consequently, during the
séance on Saturday 04 December 1926, the apostles asked Caodai God to let them
pay the Monk for the pagoda.[1]
A month later, during the
séance on Tuesday 04 January 1927, when Daoist Cardinal Thượng Trung Nhựt (Lê
Văn Trung) reported to Caodai God on Monk Như Nhãn’s demand for regaining the
Thiền Lâm holy house, the Supreme Being said, “Most of you are dissatisfied with the case, and willing to return it.
I will give [Nguyễn Ngọc] Thơ instructions about the matter.” [2]
Relating to Monk Như
Nhãn’s demand, on Saturday 19 February 1927 at the Thiền Lâm holy house, His
Holiness Lý Thái Bạch asserted, “Today, I
am determined to return this pagoda.” [3]
2. The future Holy See and the holy land Tây Ninh
At the Thiền Lâm holy
house, during the same séance on Saturday 19 February 1927, His Holiness Lý
said, “You all have to join efforts to
set up the Holy See. It will be nowhere else but Tây Ninh, which is the holy
land. Besides, its climate is suitable for foreigners to come and learn
Caodaism. I wish to choose another location but the Supreme Being does not
approve.” [4]
In the following day,
Sunday 20 February 1927, at the Thiền Lâm holy house, Caodai God said:
“As for the Holy See, My wish is that there is union of human force and
Heaven’s will, which is My virtuous conduct. You should follow My example.
Since I came and established Caodaism for you, I have never excercised
monopoly power. If you can choose any place pleasing the Church, I will be
pleased, too. You all must join efforts to carry through the Holy See. It will
be nowhere else but Tây Ninh.” [5]
Acordingly, in the last
ten days of February 1927, for the construction of both a temporary holy house
and the Holy See, an urgent need did arise to acquire new land within the holy
land Tây Ninh only.
3. Instructions in hunting new land
On Sunday 20 February
1927, at the Thiền Lâm holy house, Caodai God said, “If you all understand My will, you had better be economical. Each expense
is merely a means, not the end.”
In order to afford the
land for constructing the Holy See, right after that advice, Caodai God said to
Đầu Sư Thái Thơ Thanh (Buddhist
Cardinal Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ), “Thơ, I entrust you with the task of collecting
enough money within a month. Remind your brethren that the fame and esteem of
Caodaism are linked with the Holy See. Later, Thái Bạch will instruct you in
the Holy See model.”
Next, Caodai God remarked
on a few areas being considered by the apostles: Cẩm Giang was hard to supply
food; Bến Kéo had narrow terrain; Suối Vàng was inconvenient in transport
though its climate was beautiful. God also suggested that the apostles should
explore “the forbidden woods on the other
side of the road, which is very ideal”.[6]
4. His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch’s directions
On Monday 21 February
1927, at the Thiền Lâm holy house, His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch said to Đầu Sư Thái Thơ Thanh (Buddhist Cardinal
Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ), “Tomorrow, follow the
upper road called Telegraph, then go straight to a three-way junction named Ao
Hồ.” [7]
On Wednesday 23 February
1927, at the Thiền Lâm holy house, His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch said to Đầu Sư Thượng Trung Nhựt (Daoist
Cardinal Lê Văn Trung), “You tell Thái
Thơ Thanh that after he has bought the land, I will draw another architectural
plan. Do tell him to buy all of the Ao Hồ area to have sufficient space for the
holy land. (...) That whole area must be bought. Later, you will have to ask
for permission to reclaim the forest.” [8]
On Thursday 24 February
1927, at the Thiền Lâm holy house, His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch praised Đầu Sư Thái Thơ Thanh (Buddhist Cardinal
Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ) for his finding the right land for the Holy See construction.
According to geomancy, He explained why it was the holy land: Three hundred
metres under the ground was the intersection of six streams of groundwater,
which was named six dragons protecting
the seal.
Aspar, the French forest
ranger and also landowner, set a price for the woods at twenty (or twenty-five)
thousand French Indochinese piastres; however, His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch advised
the apostles that if they could beat Aspar down to seventeen or eighteen
thousand piastres, they would finish the purchase.
5. The architectural plan by His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch
On Monday 28 February
1927, at the Thiền Lâm holy house, Caodai God advised Đầu Sư Thái Thơ Thanh (Buddhist Cardinal Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ) that if
it cost too much to construct the Holy See according to the architectural plan
drawn by His Holiness Lý, the original size could be lessened by using thước mộc (Vietnamese traditional unit
for measuring length equal to 0.4 metres).
As for the Globe of the Universe (Quả Càn Khôn) and the statue of Prince
Siddhartha riding on Kanthaka horse (accompanied by his charioteer Chandaka), after Caodai God’s ascension, His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch arrived and
instructed Phối Sư Thái Bính Thanh
(Buddhist Archbishop Lâm Quang Bính) in the removal of them to the temporary
holy house in the newly purchased land. He also instructed the Buddhist
Archbishop in using stakes to measure the land for constructing the Holy House.
Later, at that very noon, Hộ Pháp
(Dharma Protector) Phạm Công Tắc and Thượng
Phẩm Cao Quỳnh Cư held a séance in the Thiền Lâm main hall in order that
His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch drew an architectural plan on a large sheet of paper.
Only Buddhist Archbishop Thái Bính Thanh was allowed to join the séance.
However, it would cost too much to build the Holy See exactly according to His
Holiness Lý’s plan. A few days later, accordingly, Caodai God lessened the
measurements.
6. The French colonial oppression
Suspecting that the
Caodai congregation were carrying out a political plot, the French colonialists
began their oppression. On Tuesday 08 March 1927, at the Thiền Lâm holy house,
Caodai God told Đầu Sư Thượng Trung
Nhựt (Daoist Cardinal Lê Văn Trung) to meet Cochinchina Governor Blanchard de
la Brosse immediately so as to wipe out the ruler’s suspicion. In case of
failure, he was to lodge a complaint with the French government in Paris by
telegraph. In the end, that effort was in vain; thus, on Saturday 19 March
1927, Caodai God requested Daoist Cardinal Lê Văn Trung to meet the Cochinchina
Governor again.[9]
VIII. CONCLUSION
Wednesday 23 March 1927
was the date when the Caodai apostles returned the Thiền Lâm pagoda to Monk Như
Nhãn. Accordingly, before this date, all belongings of the holy house had to be
transported to the newly purchased land in Long Thành village.
This fatiguing removal
ended the Inauguartion period at the Thiền Lâm holy house, which was planned to
last three days and three nights (from 18 through 20 November 1926), but which
was finally prolonged to four months (because the returning of the pagoda was
one month overdue). This removal also marked a turning point in the Caodai
history: the construction of the Tây Ninh Holy See.
Nhiêu Lộc, 28 July 2015
HUỆ KHẢI
