Collection of Selected Caodai Holy Messages

Book excerpt: This is the translation of the holy teachings of CaoDai, a new faith founded in Vietnam, with the goal to unite all religions in harmony and peace. CaoDai believes that all religions have the same divine origin, have the same ethic based on true love and the golden rule, and are just different manifestations of the same truth. CaoDai is a unique religion originating in Southeast Asia, which recognizes God as Source of the Universe and all souls, origin of all religions, Who manifested differently in different epochs and is called by myriad Names. CaoDai is a universal religion, which considers all religions One. It teaches human beings, who all have sprung from the same Source, to live in harmony, love, justice and peace; to enjoy universal sisterhood and brotherhood; and to cultivate themselves to seek and be reunited with God in their hearts. CaoDai propounds that God has come and expressed Himself in a new Way, Dai Dao Tam Ky Pho Do (The Third Salvation Of The Great Way), or the CaoDai religion, in 1926 in Vietnam. The immediate goal of CaoDai is to show human beings that all religions have indeed one same origin and one same principle, which is love and justice. If human beings would stop discriminating against each other because of difference in religions and treat each other with true love and justice (Do unto others as you would have them do unto you), there would soon be unity of all religions with religious understanding and tolerance, and subsequently harmony between humanity and peace on earth. The full name of the Supreme Being is Cao Dai Tien Ong Dai Bo Tat Ma Ha Tat, in which CaoDai originates from Confucianism that means the Supreme Being, Tien Ong means Immortals, Dai Bo Tat Ma Ha Tat means the great Buddha. The whole name of the Supreme Being embraces the three main religions of the East.In 1926, the Supreme Being gave the following message: Nhien Dang Co Phat (an old time Buddha) is Me, Sakya Muni is Me, Thai Thuong Nguon Thi (an old time Immortal) is Me, Who is Cao Dai. In founding CaoDai, the Supreme Being teaches man to realize that all religions have one same origin, and not to discriminate against each other but to love each other as brother and sister, to cultivate self to find God in one's heart.A spiritual message has said: "Out of Love and Mercy, out of respect for life, I have founded the Great Way's Third Revelation to save the earthly human, to help the virtuous attain a world of peace and avoid reincarnation to the earthly world of suffering." CaoDai offers two ways of practice: 1. Exoterism or cultivation according to humanism: a CaoDai disciple, while conducting a normal family life is: a. to complete duties toward self, family, society, country, living beings, and nature. b. to practice good and avoid evil. c. to show kindness to nature, plants, animals, human beings, and to avoid unnecessary destruction of any creature, recognizing that they all have the Supreme Being's spirit and are part of nature's cycle. d. to observe five Precepts: do not kill, do not steal, do not commit adultery, do not get drunk, do not sin by word. e. to practice vegetarianism at least ten days per month. This is a way to purify one's body and spirit and to promote love by avoiding killing living beings. f. to participate in ritual acts of devotion and worship to the Supreme Being. There are four daily ceremonies, at 6:00 a.m., noon, 6:00 p.m., and midnight. At least one ceremony per day at home is performed.2. Esoterism: While a disciple performs his duties toward humanity and ispracticing vegetarianism for at least ten days per month, he may be guided in the practice of esoterism with meditation as a major exercise. The goal is to progressively eradicate the inferior self and develop the divine element within the self, reaching toward oneness with the Supreme Being.