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 Inauguaration
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
Some apostles’ years of birth and death
Ca Minh Chương (1850/1855?-1927)
Ca Thị Thế (1884-1956)
Cao Đức Trọng
(1897-1958)
Cao Hoài Sang
(1901-1971)
Cao Quỳnh Cư
(1888-1929)
Cao Quỳnh Diêu
(1884-1958)
Dương Văn Nương (Thái
Nương Tinh, 1870-1929)
Đoàn Văn Bản (Thượng
Bản Thanh, 1876-1941)
Đỗ Văn Vàng (1880-1950)
Huỳnh Văn Giỏi (Thượng Giỏi Thanh, 1880-1954)
Lại Văn Hành (Thượng Hành Thanh, 1878-1939)
Lâm Ngọc Thanh (Hương
Thanh, 1874-1937)
Lâm Quang Bính (Thái
Bính Thanh, 1876-1931)
Lê Bá Trang (Ngọc Trang Thanh, 1878-1936)
Lê Thế Vĩnh (1903-1945)
Lê Thiện Phuớc
(1895-1975)
Lê Văn Giảng
(1883-1932)
Lê Văn Lịch (Ngọc Lịch
Nguyệt, 1890-1947)
Lê Văn Trung (Thượng Trung Nhựt, 1876-1934)
Lý Trọng Quí (1872-1945)
Ngô Văn Chiêu
(1878-1932)
Ngô Văn Điều (1868-1938)
Ngô Văn Kim (Thượng Kim Thanh, 1868-1940)
Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ (Thái
Thơ Thanh, 1873-1950)
Nguyễn Ngọc Tương (Thượng
Tương Thanh, 1881-1951)
Nguyễn Tấn Hoài
(Thượng Hoài Thanh, 1881-1949)
Nguyễn Thị Hiếu (Hương
Hiếu, 1887-1971)
Nguyễn Thiên(g) Kim
(1870-1946)
Nguyễn Trung Hậu
(1892-1961)
Nguyễn Văn Chức
(Thượng Chức Thanh, 1873-1956)
Nguyễn Văn Kiệt
(1881-1965)
Nguyễn Văn Kinh (Ngọc
Kinh Thanh, 1890-1945)
Nguyễn Văn Lai (Thượng
Lai Thanh, 1876-1939)
Nguyễn Văn Luật (Thái Luật Thanh, 1869-1948)
Nguyễn Văn Mạnh
(1894-1970)
Nguyễn Văn Trò (Thượng
Trò Thanh, 1886-1949)
Nguyễn Văn Tương
(Thượng Tương Thanh, 1879-1926),
Nguyễn Văn Tường (Thượng
Tường Thanh, 1887-1939)
Như
Nhãn (Thích Từ Phong, Nguyễn Văn Tường, 1864-1939).
Phạm Công Tắc (1890-1959)
Phạm Tấn Đãi (1901-1976)
Phạm Văn Tươi
(1897-1976)
Thái Văn Thâu (1899-1981)
Thích Thiện Minh (Thái
Minh Tinh, 1882-1945)
Trần Duy Nghĩa
(1888-1954)
Trần Đạo Quang
(1870-1946)
Trần Văn Giống (Thái
Giống Thanh, 1879-1930)
Trần Văn Thụ (Ngọc Thụ
Thanh, 1857-1927)
Trương Hữu Đức
(1890-1976)
Trương Văn Tràng
(1893-1965)
Vương Quan Kỳ (Thượng
Kỳ Thanh, 1880-1939)
