Caodaism one of the most strange vietnamese religion
Cao Dai is a unique religion. Dao Cao Dai (Caodaism in English) is the third largest religion in Viet Nam (after Buddhism and Roman Catholicism).
“Cao” means “high”; “Dai” means “palace”. Caodai refers to the supreme palace where God reigns — that is the Kingdom of Heaven.
The word is also used as God’s symbolic name. Cao Dai is a monotheistic religion
베트남 카오다이는 한국의 "한울"과 같은 일신적 존재지만 윤회사상을 따르는 등 차이가 있다
■ Monotheistic religions believe that there is only one God.
Caodaism: A Unique Mixing Religion from Vietnam
May 17, 2012 · by kofegeek
Ngo Van Chieu, a civil servant of the Cochinchina government began to receive messages from a spirit called Duc Cao Dai (pronounced: Duk Kow Dye), whom he believed to be God.
After three years of studying and worshipping God, he shared his spiritual discoveries with others in Saigon.
At the end of the year At Suu (1926 CE), Cao Dai instructed a small group of mediums to found a new religion.
One of the mediums, Le Van Trung was named by God to be acting Giao Tong (Pope).
Caodaism was formally founded on 1926-SEP-26 by a group of 247 disciples.
Caodaism is a syncretistic religion which combines elements from many of the world’s main religions, including Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Taoism, as well as Geniism, an indigenous religion of Viet Nam.
■ Indigenous 토착의, 자연발생적인
Indigenous derives from the Latin noun indigena (meaning "native"), which was formed by combining Old Latin indu (meaning "in" or "within") with the verb gignere (meaning "to beget"). Another term that comes from the indigena root is indigene, a word for a plant or animal that lives, grows, or originates in a certain area. Indigene is the older of the two; it has been used in English since the late 16th century, whereas the earliest documented use of indigenous occurred nearly 50 years later. Indigenous is used in scientific contexts to describe organisms and the habitats to which they belong, and in expressly non-scientific contexts, as in "emotions indigenous to the human spirit." Most often, however, it's used to describe the native inhabitants of a place.
They regard the history of religion as being divided into three periods of revelation. The first was circa 2500 BC, when God inspired selected religious leaders to found Judaism in the Middle East, Hinduism in India and Yi king (philosophy of transformation) in China. A few thousand years later, God led the Buddha to found Buddhism, Lao Tse to create Taoism, Confucius to start Confucianism, and Jesus Christ to found Christianity.
They believe that, due to the frailty of those religious leaders, the truth became distorted. A number of religions were formed, but most flourished only in or near their countries of origin. Religions became adapted to the needs of individual cultures. Limitations in communication and transportation prevented the formation of a single, true universal religion which all of humanity could embrace. Followers of Caodaism believe that God was concerned that the multiplicity of religions prevented people from living together in harmony. God decided to initiate a third revelation, in which he communicated Caodaism by spiritist means.
Cao Dai’s pantheon of saints includes such diverse figures as the Buddha, Confucius, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Pericles, Julius Caesar, Joan of Arc, Victor Hugo, and the Chinese revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen. These are honored at Cao Dai temples, along with ancestors.
Cao Dai followers strive for inner peace and harmony in the world and try to gain religious merit and avoid bad karma. Cao Dai encourages obedience to the three duties (those between king and citizen, father and child, husband and wife) and five virtues (humanity, obligation, civility, knowledge, reliability) of Confucianism.
Followers are expected to participate regularly in worship services, practice vegetarianism at least ten days per month, purify their body and spirit and avoid killing living beings.
Cao Dai’s organization is patterned after that of Roman Catholicism, with nine levels of hierarchy including a pope, cardinals, and archbishops. Worship involves group prayer in the temple, elaborate rituals and festivals.
In addition to the Great Temple, there are around 1,000 other Cao Dai temples in this part of Vietnam.
Bored to read? Let’s just see their syncretistic from their greatest temple, Great Holly See Temple (Cao Dai Temple)