SOME
PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAITS
OF CAODAISTS
The Caodai religion officially presented
itself to the public in mid-November 1926 during a great solemn Inauguration
ceremony, later denominated Khai Minh Đại
Đạo. The ceremony was held at the Thiền Lâm holy house, which was
originally a Buddhist pagoda named Thiền Lâm Tự, borrowed from Head Bonze Như
Nhãn (Thích Từ Phong, 1864-1939). At present, the Buddhist pagoda is situated
at No 5/11, Long Trung hamlet, Long Thành Trung village, Hòa Thành district,
Tây Ninh province [see Plate 1].
Four months after the Inauguration
commencement, on Wednesday 23 March 1927 the Thiền Lâm pagoda was returned to
Như Nhãn, its owner. All belongings of the holy house had to be transported to
the newly purchased woods in Long Thành village (Tây Ninh province). From then
on, an increasing mass of congregants of the new faith unceasingly gathered at
the virgin woods which might be considered their promised land. Eventually,
through many long decades of reclamation and cultivation, those heroic pioneers
of strong faith could successfully build up a large, crowded and busy area as
what is seen today, and thereon eye-catchingly stands the impressive Tây Ninh
Holy See.
Not only in Tây Ninh but also in other
provinces of Cochinchina and Annam
(Central Vietnam ) afterwards, were various
congregations formed one after another through the development history of the
fledgling religion. Each congregation is made up of hundreds or thousands of
adherents who have been experiencing their own faith for years.
Having absorbed Caodai holy teachings and
been self-cultivating through Caodai meditation practice for several decades,
Caodai adherents possess particular characteristics in their thinking,
behaviour, and sentiment. Consequently, there exists what is called “the psychology of Caodaists” if psychology
is generally understood as “The emotional and behavioral characteristics of
an individual, a group, or an activity.” (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition. Boston , MA
*
The majority of Caodai followers are much
emotional. When affected by Caodai holy sayings, they are easily and sincerely
so moved that their eyes naturally soak in tears.
Attending preaching sessions conducted at
Caodai holy houses is possibly a convenient opportunity to catch sight of such
kind of tears on the face of either the preacher at the pulpit or his
coreligionists who are sharing the seats of the auditorium. Thus, one easy way
to fathom the faith depth of a Caodaist’s heart might be to notice his
emotional expressions or psychological reactions when he is reading, listening
to, or citing Caodai holy teachings.
Besides the above-mentioned
characteristic, are there any other psychological traits of Caodaists? In reply
to this question, insufficiently listed below are five key traits.
1. Openness
Openness results from the Vietnamese
people’s tradition of religious tolerance and also that of “the Three Teachings
sharing their common origin - Tam Giáo đồng nguyên”. (For more
information about these two traditions and their relevance to Caodaism, the
reader is suggested to consult a book by Huệ Khải: The Three Teachings of Vietnam as an
Ideological Precondition for the Foundation of Caodaism. Hà Nội: Religion publishing house, 2010, 2013.)
Openness also results from the
geographical, multi-cultural, and multi-belief features of Cochinchina - the cradle of Caodaism. The details of these
three features can be found in another book by Huệ Khải: Cochinchina
as a Cultural Precondition for the Foundation of Caodaism. Hà Nội: Religion publishing house, 2008, 2012. To
sum up, they are as follows:
1.1. Geographical feature
Cochinchina has been
considered a crossroads of flows of migrants, cultures, and civilisations. That
is why it soon became an open and dynamic convergence of both oriental and
occidental cultures.
The Mekong Delta borders seas on both
sides. In the same delta lots of rivers run in opposite directions: Some flow
to the sea in the east (Biển Đông, the Eastern
Sea ), others to the Gulf of Thailand
1.2. Multi-cultural feature
Besides the Viets and the
Chinese, In Cochinchina alone, there are seven other ethnic groups: the Khmers,
the K’hors, the Chams, the Mnongs, the Stiengs, the Mas and the Churus.
Thanks to Cochinchina’s
convenient location, cultural exchange took place not only among local ethnic
groups but also between natives and foreigners from Malaya ,
Siam (Thailand
1.3. Multi-belief feature
Compared with other regions, Cochinchina
has more religion forms whose followers accounts for the highest rate in the
whole country.
1.4.
Policies of Caodaism
Besides the three features mentioned
above, openness also emerges from the policy of Caodaism, which asserts that
underlying all doctrines exists their common principle (vạn giáo nhất lý), and thus, all religion founders as well as their
teachings share the one and only source denominated God or Heaven. On 07 April
1926, during an evocation seance held at Vĩnh Nguyên Tự (a Caodai holy house)
located in Long An village, Cần Giuộc district, Chợ Lớn province (today
belonging to Long An province), Caodai God said:
I am
Dipankara the Ancient Buddha.
I am
Shakyamuni [of Buddhism].
I am
also Taishang Laojun,
and
Yuanshi Tianzun [both of Daoism].
My
present name is Cao Đài.
(Thánh Ngôn Hiệp Tuyển / An
Anthology of
Holy Sayings, vol. I, Saigon 1928, p. 14.)
Openness is also brought about by another
Caodai policy to crystallise the
quintessence of past and present, and harmonise East and West.
1.5. Constructive effect of
openness
Caodaists agree that Heaven, i.e., the
Founder of Caodaism, is also Dipankara and Shakyamuni (both of Buddhism),
Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun (both of Daoism). They accept an altar
arranged with the God’s Eye (symbolising the Jade Emperor) at the top position,
then at lower positons, secondly with the Three Founders (Shakyamuni, Laozi,
Confucius), thirdly with the Three Founders’ Representatives (Li Bai, Guanyin,
Guansheng), fourthly with Jesus Christ (representing the Saint Way Deity
Way
So, it is not surprising that one of the
earliest Caodai publications entitled Phổ
Cáo Chúng Sanh Đại Đạo Tam Kỳ Phổ Độ
(General Announcement to the Public in the Third Universalism of the Great Way), dated 15 October 1926 and
printed in Saigon, displays Shakyamuni sitting between Confucius and Laozi on
its front cover [see Plate 2].
Openness explains why
Caodaists naturally pay homage to another faith’s altar or sacred statue in the
same manner as to the God’s Eye on their own altar.
When preaching, Caodaists do not confine
their sermons to Caodai holy teachings alone; on the contrary, in a natural and
interesting manner, they are apt to cite the scriptures of Confucianism,
Buddhism, Daoism, and Christianity, etc.
Thanks to their openness, Caodaists have
a very humanistic strong point which frees themselves from discrimination
against beliefs, cultures, and races, etc.
2. Enthusiasm
2.1. Enthusiasm arises from strong consciousness
of eagerly offering công quả (selfless services for other people’s
benefits). Caodai teaching gives prominence to this kind of service offer, and
emphasises that this human world is in fact a contest arena where each person
on earth is a candidate whose final success depends upon the selfless services
accomplished in his life. In this meaning, Deities, Saints, Immortals, and
Buddhas used to be mortal candidates on earth; eventually, they did gloriously
pass their contests and became sacred powers in heaven.
2.2. Of
many kinds of offering selfless services, a very great one is “deliverance” or
“salvation”, that is to say, helping other people be enlightened so that they
can voluntarily enter Caodai religion, becoming its followers. As taught by
Caodai God at an evocation seance on 27 August 1926, each Caodaist is to help
at least twelve people convert to Caodaism. This arouses in most Caodaists enthusiasm for proselytisation although they
are not trained to be professional proselytisers.
2.3. Constructive effect of enthusiasm
2.3.1. Enthusiasm for offering selfless services
nourishes and enriches the Caodaists’ spirit of doing good deeds without
seeking fame or wealth in return. In a society once badly ruined by war
and regularly affected by poverty and misery, this kind of enthusiasm always urges Caodaists
actively and eagerly manage to help their coreligionists and compatriots
whenever relief works are needed.
For Caodaists, doing such charitable
activities means practising the Way of Humans (the Dao of Man), and
simultaneously building up a solid foundation for their Way of Heaven (i.e.,
spiritually cultivating themselves to get free from samsara). During an
evocation seance on 20 February 1926, Caodai God bestowed this poem:
Becoming congregants, love
your brethren.
A high virtue surpasses a high grade.
So, when deciding to step to Heaven,
Love fellow citizens like your kindred.
(An Anthology of
Holy Sayings, 1928, p. 9.)
2.3.2. Affected by enthusiasm for proselytisation,
Caodaists are permanently ready to give their lives for the growth of their
religion; this helps to explain the rapid increase of Caodai population in its
early years. Jayne Susan Werner asserts:
“Soon after its founding, the
new religion gained a wide following throughout Cochinchina.” (Peasant Politics and Religious Sectarianism:
Peasant and Priest in the Cao Dai in Viet Nam Connecticut
The fledgling Caodai Holy Assembly was
not rich in wealth and also poor in facilities; however, whenever there was a
large undertaking, its followers would voluntarily help by pouring their money
and labour into that so quickly and eagerly. Presently, many historical files
in the Fonds GouCoch at the National
Archives Number 2 (Saigon ) are proofs of the
enthusiastic dedication of the Caodaists who converted their homes and lands to
holy houses in the Caodai beginning.
3. Optimistic patience
3.1. The
Caodaists’ optimistic
patience results from their being imbued with dualism in Caodai teaching.
According to dualism, every existence on earth consists of two opposing
principles. Like two faces of a coin, for instance, happiness is accompanied by
sorrow.
During an evocation seance on 13 March
1926, Caodai God explained dualism as follows:
“In
general, everything consists of both true and false sides. If the true is
lacked, how can the false be exposed? And if the false is absent, how can the
true be identified? ” (An
Anthology of Holy Sayings, 1928, p. 13.)
Optimistic
patience also arises from Caodaists’ belief in the law of causes and effects:
Every person is to suffer retribution for doing evil in his past. Furthermore,
if a follower expects to get free from all unpaid debts passed down from his
past lives so as to facilitate his returning way to Heaven, he must be willing
to pay off his accumulated karmic debts. This means that instead of payment in
instalments, both principal and interests must be paid off straight away in his
present life; thus, he is inevitably thrown into a convulsion.
The
two closing lines of Kinh Hộ Mạng (The Life Protecting Prayer) bestowed upon Caodaists
obviously reflect their optimistic
patience:
Resigning myself to my
drifting boat of life,
What’s the good of sorrow when God’s beside?
3.2. Absolutely believing in Heaven as well as the
law of causes and effects, Caodaists apprehend that every adversity in their
present life has its own reason or purpose. It might be either retribution for
evil deeds in their previous lives or a present challenge to test their courage
and virtue. During an evocation seance
on 13 March 1926, therefore, Caodai God said:
“To be worthy of being My
disciple, you must endure intense suffering. The more I love you, the more I
test you. If you deserve being my disciple, the White Jade Capital [God’s abode in heaven] will welcome you; if
not, hell’s door will open wide for you.” (An Anthology of Holy Sayings,
1928, p. 13.)
3.3. Constructive effect of
optimistic patience
Thanks to
optimistic patience, when facing even the worst adversity, Caodaists are still
forbearing enough to maintain life and accomplish their self-cultivation. Suicides urged by pessimism and desperateness are
rarely found among Caodai believers.
4. Democracy or equality
4.1. The
Caodai Holy Assembly is established as a solid organisation with its elaborate
hierarchy. Jayne Susan Werner remarks:
“The
Cao Dai church was also highly organized, in contrast to prevailing religious
practice in Viet Nam
Despite its elaborate organisational
structure, Caodai religion seems to possess the attribute of a great family.
The fundamental unit of the Caodai administration system is a parish (họ đạo), where a holy house (thánh
thất) is constructed for around five hundred congregants. After the Thiền
Lâm holy house was founded in Gò Kén (Long Thành village, Tây Ninh province),
during an evocation seance on 18 September 1926, Caodai God defined “holy
house” as follows:
“I
have founded the holy house which is your
common house…” (An Anthology of
Holy Sayings, 1928, p. 38.)
The Caodaists’
democracy or equality characteristic arises from the family attribute latently
existing in the Caodai Holy Assembly organisation, in the ways of addressing
between Heavenly Powers and Caodai adherents, between a Caodai follower and his
or her coreligionists.
According to Tân Luật (the New Law of Caodaism) promulgated in early 1927, the
relationship between male and female dignitaries and congregants is the one
between elder brothers, sisters and the younger. The top rank Giáo Tông (Pope) of Cửu Trùng Đài
(the Nonuple hierarchy) is denominated Anh
Cả, i.e., the Eldest Brother. (The
New Law: Religious Law, Chapter I, Article 1.) Depending on his or her age,
a coreligionist is addressed as đạo huynh, đạo tỷ, đạo đệ, đạo muội (respective and literal meanings: religious
elder brother, religious elder sister, religious younger brother,
religious younger sister).
During evocation seances, Caodai God
always addresses Himself as Thầy (Master),
or Cha (Father); Buddha Mother (Diêu Trì Kim Mẫu, the Golden Mother of
the Jade Pond) always addresses Herself as Mẹ
(Mother). Correlatively, Caodai God and Buddha Mother address Caodai
followers as các con (children). When teaching Caodaists at evocation
seances, Deities, Saints, Immortals, Bodhisattvas, etc. address them as hiền
đệ, hiền muội (literal meanings: younger brothers or sisters; hiền is a honorific derived from
Chinese).
Instead of dignitary vestments, whenever
presenting themselves at ceremonies in a Buddha Mother temple, Caodai
dignitaries are to dress in white like normal adherents. This means that all
children are equal before Mother.
4.2. Constructive effect of democracy or equality
Thanks to the
democracy or equality characteristic immanent in Caodai congregations, there is
generally a friendly relationship between the low-ranking and high-ranking as
well as between normal congregants and the dignitaries. Consequently,
Caodaists’ respectful submission to their superiors does not result from
external factors like dignitaries’ attire or ranks, but ensues from internal
features such as dignitaries’ bright examples and illustrious virtues…
Thoroughly seizing this sense, one
certainly understands why quyền pháp (dhama
power) is the term much used in Caodai teaching rather than quyền hành or quyền bính (authority). On 17 February 1969, during an evocation
seance at the Nam Thành holy house in Saigon ,
Spiritual Pope Lý Thái Bạch highlighted the true meaning of quyền pháp (also called quyền pháp Đạo) as follows:
“The
dhama power in Caodaism is not dominion. The dhama power in Caodaism is nothing
else but love, and release of dominion for evolution.”
5. Romantic characteristic
5.1. Romantic is defined as “Being characterised by idealised ideas of
reality, and nurturing lots of dreams of a distant future.” (Hoàng Phê,
chief editor: Từ Điển Tiếng Việt /
Vietnamese Dictionary. Hà Nội: Trung Tâm Từ Điển Ngôn Ngữ, 1992. p. 539.)
The Caodaists’ romantic characteristic
appeared even in the early beginning of the religion, and has been nourished
and strengthened by a strong belief in a marvellous future of Vietnam Vietnam
In
Vietnamese mountains crows a phoenix,
and
Caodai advent is signalised by it.
From
East to West, a change is awaited,
and
the whole world will enjoy peace.
(An
Anthology of Holy Sayings, 1928, p. 97.)
5.2. The
Caodaists’ romantic characteristic is relevant to their patriotism, love for
their fellow citizens. Despite the fact that the French colonial rulers divided
Vietnam into Cochinchina , Annam ,
and Tonkin , during an evocation seance on 21
October 1926, Caodai God bestowed the following poem upon His disciples:
From
now on, your race is not cut into three.
I
unite you under the same roof.
Caodaism
will spread from South to North,
and
then overseas.
I’m
the only sovereign of the True Way
(An
Anthology of Holy Sayings, 1928, p. 42.)
It is very interesting that the Caodai
Holy Assembly publicly published such a poem of politics in 1928 (at Tam Thanh
printing house, No. 108-110 Place Maréchal Foch) in Saigon ,
the capital of French Cochinchina.
At present, Vietnam
regains its undivided territory; Caodai religion can present itself in the
Southern, Central, and Northern Vietnam . Since
the late 1970s, due to historical circumstances, Caodai holy houses have been
established one after another in many other countries. Has that prophesying
poem come true?
5.3. The
Caodaists’ romantic characteristic also ensues from their pride in the
Vietnamese people. Even in the mid-1920s, living under the yoke of French
colonialists, the people of a country losing its sovereignty were taught by
Caodai God that despite its slavery, Vietnam would soon hold the Nirvana
Assembly, i.e., there would be the paradise on earth. An Anthology of Holy Sayings (Saigon 1928, p. 86) claims:
How
fortunate Vietnam Vietnam
A
small nation will soon hold Nirvana Assembly.
Joining their fledgling religion,
Caodaists are taught by their Master that Caodaism will be Vietnam
Formerly Vietnam
Now I build up one for My children.
(An Anthology of
Holy Sayings, 1928, p. 98.)
On 18
September 1926, Caodai God said, “From now on, in Vietnam
5.4. The Caodaists’ romantic characteristic also emerges from their belief that Caodaism
(the Third Universalism of the Great
Way
An Anthology of Holy Sayings (vol.
I, Saigon 1928) collects numerous Caodai God’s
teachings relevant to the Vietnamese people’s mission mentioned above. To name
a few as follows:
On 25 July 1926: “… in the Third
Universalism era you are to save all mankind in the whole world…” (p. 28)
On 13 December 1926: “Originally, it’s
not at all a small matter when I found this true religion for the Vietnamese
people.” (p. 55)
On 17 January 1927: “I do come to your
country and found the true religion qualified for all creatures’ salvation. Relying
on this religion, you and all the people of yours will be able to attain noble
positions.” (p. 64)
5.5. Constructive effect of romantic
characteristic
When putting oneself in the social
situation of French Cochinchina, one will easily perceive how romantic
characteristic constructively affected Caodaists. Their romantic
characteristic released the restrained feelings of the people losing their
country, satisfied the pride of the unyielding race, and nourished their
aspirations to be liberated so that Vietnamese people could hold their heads up
high before the world, and then they would be able to spread Caodaism to
influence other races.
It is possible to say that the Caodaists’
romantic characteristic also manifests the patriotic tradition. Owing to this
element, Caodai religion could gather massive patriotic Vietnamese, and this is
the fact accepted by illustrious contemporary scholars. For instance, Jayne
Susan Werner writes:
“Its skillful synthesis and
new formulation of the Tam Giáo tradition not only offered great cultural
appeal but it grew on the still vital protest movement associated with this
tradition.” (Peasant Politics and Religious
Sectarianism …, p. 56.)
*
Discovering the psychology of Caodaists
might not be of much interest to both Caodai and non-Caodai researchers.
According to the research purpose, this topic can be intensively studied to
devise applications that meet specific needs.
27 May 2000
Revised, 18 September 2017
HUỆ KHẢI
