ORIGIN & STRUCTURE OF
THE SUTRA
ORIGIN. Complimentary copies of Tu Chơn Thiệp Quyết (A Shortcut to True Self-Cultivation, 20
pages) were published for the first
time at Đức Lưu Phương printing house (158 rue d’Espagne, Saigon), whose
director was Mr. Trương Văn Tuấn. His wife was Ms. Nguyễn Thị Hương, daughter
of Caodai apostle Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ (1873-1950), known as “Đầu Sư” (Caodai
Cardinal) Thái Thơ Thanh. The front cover of the PDF version archived at the
National Library of France (BnF) shows a handwritten line in purple ink that
reads “27 janvier [January] 1931” and the number 5,000 (the print run). These
details were added for the fulfilment of the legal deposit procedure.
Three months later,
10,000 complimentary copies of Tu Chơn
Thiệp Quyết (16 pages) were published at Mỹ Tho printing house on
Wednesday, 22 April 1931.
Page 15 of the
Saigon edition reads: “This sutra was
bestowed during an evocation seance at Rạch Giá holy house on the 24th night of
the third month in the Ox year (22 April 1930).” Page 16 of the Mỹ Tho
edition provides similar information.
According to Huệ
Nhẫn (Võ Thành Châu), Tu Chơn Thiệp Quyết
(A Shortcut to True Self-Cultivation)
was published by Rạch Giá holy house (also known as Kiên Giang holy house),
which was constructed around late 1927 (no longer in existence today). It was
donated by Mr. Đoàn Văn Kỳ, also known as Ba Kỳ (1863-1960), and used to be
located on the present lot spanning from the house numbered 214/31 to the house
numbered 214/35 on Quang Trung street, approximately 150 metres from the Big
Buddhist pagoda (chùa Phật Lớn). The
traces of its foundation can still be seen in front of the house numbered
214/33.
Huệ Nhẫn adds that from
the year 1929 onwards, Rạch Giá holy house conducted various evocation seances under
the name Cao Thiên Đàn 高天壇 (Lofty
Heaven Seance). Its evocation team was led by Mr. Phan Văn Nhơn (1895-1959),
who served as the seance master. Two mediums were Nguyễn Hữu Kiển (aged
seventeen, known by the religious name Tường Khánh) and Nguyễn Hữu Thận (aged
fifteen, known by the religious name Chơn Tâm). Both siblings were the sons of
Mrs. Võ Thị Chỉnh (1892-1930), who became a Caodai follower after an initiation
ceremony at Rạch Giá holy house. Having attained immortality, Mrs. Võ became Thể Liên Tiên Nữ 體蓮仙女 (Embodied
Lotus Lady Immortal).([1])
STRUCTURE
1. Tu Chơn Thiệp Quyết consists of:
– One 7-word
quatrain (Caodai God tells His name): 28 words.
– Sixty-four
7-7-6-8 quatrains (256 verses): 1,792 words.
– Three gathas in the form of
7-word octaves (24 verses): 168 words.
– Two 7-word
octaves (16 verses): 112 words.
– Two prose passages (143 words + 33 words): 176 words.
Thus, the main content comprises a total of 2,276
words.
2. A Shortcut to True Self-Cultivation contains a total
of 2,276 words to express Caodai God’s
TEN pieces of advice.
These TEN pieces of advice are explained through
sixty-four quatrains. We notice that six and four are TEN. Again, it is TEN!
Why so?
Figuratively, TEN means “complete” or “perfect”.
Therefore, the TEN pieces of advice or the sixty-four
quatrains imply that A Shortcut to True
Self-Cultivation is a perfect shortcut for sentient beings to practise the
true dharma and quickly attain success on their journeys of self-cultivation.
EXPLAINING THE TITLE
TU CHƠN THIỆP QUYẾT
On the front cover of the edition published at Đức
Lưu Phương printing house (
1. “Tu chơn” can sometimes be understood as
“practising esotericism; practising inner
self-cultivation; or practising meditation”. Based on the content of the
sutra, however, “tu chơn” in its
title means “self-cultivating correctly”.
2. “Thiệp quyết” means a
shortcut, and also a secret to success. “Thiệp”
can also be pronounced as “tiệp”, and “tiệp kính” 捷徑 means a shortcut,
too.
3. Thus, “Tu Chơn Thiệp
Quyết” means “A Secret for Successful True
Self-cultivation”, or “A Shortcut to True
Self-cultivation”.
4. The front cover of
the edition published at Mỹ Tho printing house (22 April 1931) lacks four
characters 修真 捷訣, but below the title TU
CHƠN THIỆP QUYẾT is the phrase TU
THẬT MAU THÀNH (True self-cultivation leading to rapid success), which
explains its Sino-Vietnamese title.
5. Additionally, when bestowing “Tu Chơn Thiệp Quyết”, Caodai God primarily used the form of 7-7-6-8 quatrains so that His
disciples could easily commit the sutra to memory and recall God’s teaching. Therefore, the term “quyết” in the title can be short for “ca quyết” 歌訣, which means “a
mnemonic”.
NOTE: The front cover
of the sutra printed at Đức Lưu Phương printing house in 1935 shows a typo
because 誅 is used instead
of 訣. See illustration (above).
