Caodaism

Caodaism is a faith from Vietnam.

It brings many ideas together. It uses ideas from three big faiths. These are Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.

People who follow it try to be kind. They do not use violence. Many also choose to be vegetarians. They pray to a god. Some people believe God is in everything. This includes people and even rocks.

It is a very special way of life.

Caodaism is a faith from Vietnam.

It began in 1926 in the city of Tây Ninh. The faith brings many ideas together. It uses parts of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.

Followers also look to Catholic ways of organizing their church. They believe all religions come from the same source.

Many people follow this path. Some say there are millions of followers in Vietnam. Others live in places like North America and Australia.

A special symbol is the Divine Eye. This represents the left eye of God.

Caodaists have many ways to show their faith. They pray and honor their ancestors. Many followers choose to be vegetarians. They also practice nonviolence. They want to be close to God. The faith teaches that God is in all things. This includes people, animals, and even rocks. People can reach heaven by being good. They work to improve their virtues. This helps their souls find peace in the universe.

Caodaism is a unique religion from Vietnam that brings many different ideas together.

It is often called a syncretic faith because it blends several traditions. Followers use ethical rules from Confucianism and spiritual practices from Taoism. They also use ideas about karma and rebirth from Buddhism. The way the church is organized is similar to Catholicism.

The main goal for followers is to unite with God. They also hope to find freedom from the cycle of birth and death. This makes the faith a very special way of looking at the world.

To live this way, followers follow specific practices in their daily lives. They engage in regular prayer and honor their ancestors. Many people in the faith choose to be vegetarians. They also follow the rule of nonviolence.

Some believe that God is present in everything in the universe. This includes all living things and even non-living things like rocks. By working to improve their virtues, souls can move toward better places in the universe. This might include reaching one of the thirty-six heavenly planes.

The history of Caodaism began in the mid-1920s. It started in 1925 as a small club in Saigon. A group of clerks named Cao Quỳnh Cư, Cao Hoài Sang, Lê Văn Trung, and Phạm Công Tắc founded it. They originally met to practice mediumship. In 1926, the group believed they received a message from the divine. This led to the formal founding of the religion in Tây Ninh. Ngô Văn Chiêu signed a declaration to announce the faith on 7 October 1926.

There are many different facts about the size of this faith. Government figures in Vietnam estimate there are 4.4 million followers. If you include other branches, that number may rise to 6 million. The United Nations found about 2.5 million followers in 2015. Many followers live in a diaspora outside of Vietnam. They can be found in North America, Cambodia, Europe, and Australia. This shows how the faith has traveled far from its home.

Caodaism connects to other major world beliefs in interesting ways. It teaches that all religions come from the same source. The faith is divided into three eras of revelation. The first two eras included teachers like Buddha, Laozi, and Jesus. Caodaists believe the third era is the current time of the Cao Đài faith. They also view the universe through the balance of yin and yang. This helps them see how all things in the cosmos work together.

Caodaism is a Vietnamese monotheistic syncretic religion. Syncretism means it combines many different belief systems into one. It blends ethical precepts from Confucianism with occult practices from Taoism. It also incorporates theories of karma and rebirth from Buddhism. Additionally, it uses a hierarchical organization similar to Catholicism.

The full name of the religion is "The Great Faith [for the] Third Universal Redemption." Its primary goal is for adherents to achieve union with God. Followers also seek freedom from saṃsāra, which is the cycle of birth and death.

The theology of Caodaism is built upon a pluralist foundation. This means it teaches that all religions derive from the same single source. The deity is known by many names, including the Supreme Being, Creator, and the Ultimate Reality of the Universe. The specific Vietnamese title, Cao Đài Tiên Ông Đại Bồ Tát Ma Ha Tát, combines elements of Confucianism, Taoism, and Mahayana Buddhism.

This title reflects the humility of God by presenting the divine at the lowest rank of divinity. Caodaists believe God permeates everything in the universe. This concept is similar to panentheism, where God is both in the world and beyond it. Even inanimate objects like rocks are believed to contain part of God's spirit.

Caodaist cosmology relies on the concept of yin and yang. These represent the negative and positive principles that create a harmonious balance. Before the universe existed, there was the "Đạo," an eternal and formless source. The universe is governed by two main gods: the Highest Lord (yang) and the Holy Buddha Mother (yin). The Highest Lord is seen as the common Father of all beings. The Holy Mother provides visible forms, consciousness, and emotions to all life.

All other divine beings must obey these two creators during the evolution of the cosmos.

The religion describes a complex structure of spiritual ranks. This twelve-fold hierarchy includes Holy Spirits, Saints, Immortals, and Buddhas. Each of these ranks is further divided into three grades: Heavenly, Human, and Earthly.

Below these divine ranks are the spirits of plants, animals, and humans. Caodaists believe that all spirits can evolve to reach higher ranks through their deeds. The afterlife consists of thirty-six heavenly planes and ten realms of hell. Souls must cultivate virtue to escape the cycle of rebirth and eventually rejoin God in Heaven.

The history of Caodaism began in Saigon in 1925. It started as a spiritualist club founded by four clerks: Cao Quỳnh Cư, Cao Hoài Sang, Lê Văn Trung, and Phạm Công Tắc. They originally practiced mediumship and held ouija sessions. In 1926, the group believed they received a divine revelation. This led Ngô Văn Chiêu to sign the "Declaration of the Founding of the Cao Đài Religion" on 7 October 1926. While Ngô Văn Chiêu wanted an esoteric, private practice, the movement grew into a large mass organization. He eventually formed an independent branch called Chiếu Minh.

As the movement grew, it faced significant political challenges. By 1940, the religion had over one million members. This represented about one-fifth to one-fourth of the population in Cochinchina.

During the Indochina Wars, Caodaists were active in military struggles. Between 1941 and 1946, leaders like Phạm Công Tắc were imprisoned in Madagascar. After the fall of Saigon in 1975, the communist government banned the practice. However, Caodaism was granted legal recognition and unrestricted practice again in 1997.

Today, Caodaism has a significant global presence. Government figures in Vietnam estimate there are 4.4 million adherents. If other branches are included, the number may reach 6 million. The United Nations reported approximately 2.5 million followers in 2015.

Beyond Vietnam, tens of thousands of followers live in North America, Cambodia, Europe, and Australia. This community is known as the Cao Dai diaspora. The Tây Ninh Holy See remains the major center for pilgrimage and worship.