|
| |
Common Vietnamese Beliefs
By Kim Nguyen
Among the Vietnamese, the honest man is born amidst traditions and rites; as
an adolescent, he seeks to improve himself through culture; and in maturity, he
aims at wisdom through following the spiritual path. This pattern is not an
abstract ideal but a way of life which often leads to an attitude of tolerance
and detachment. The bulk of the Vietnamese people lived for centuries in this
environment of ancestral beliefs and religious doctrines.
Popular Beliefs
Nowhere. on earth, according to the philosopher Jung, does a society exist
which is not convinced of the immortal and transcendental nature of the human
soul, em-bodied in a psychic principle capable of surviving the disintegration
of the body
With the Vietnamese, as with a great number of others who have lived under
Chinese influence, this psychic principle consists of a number of more or less
pure elements: man possesses three souls ( hon ), and seven vital principles (
phach ). Whereas the three souls command the superior functions (life,
intelligence, perception), the seven vital principles are concerned with the
visceral functions. For this reason, woman is said to have nine vital principles
instead of seven, because of her supplementary responsibilities of childbearing.
The plants have only the soul-life ( sinh hon ), whereas the animals have an
additional sensory soul ( giac hon ). Human beings, having a monopoly on
intelligence, are the only creatures which possess three souls, of which the
linh hon is the transcendental one. While the principles related to the organic
functions wane with life, the linh hon possesses the capacity for survival. This
is the origin of the Cult of the Ancestors, which Confucius elevated to level of
a moral duty. regulated by strict rites.
According to pure Confucianist doctrine, one must honor the dead on a par
with the living; and the greatest misfortune conceivable is to die without
leaving a male descendant to perpetuate the Cult of the Ancestors. Later, this
rule was relaxed to permit daughters to carry on the cult, in case there were no
male descendants. If a man dies without leaving any descendants at all,
how-ever, the souls of the dead, for lack of homage and honor on the occasions
of traditional feasts and anniversaries, are doomed to eternal wandering - one
of the most appalling maledictions which could afflict any family. It is thus
that the custom of polygamy among the Vietnamese was ex-plained, and justified
in the eyes of the law :it more or less assured that there would be a descendant
to perpetuate the cult. Adoption was considered to be a last resort.
The cult of the ancestors is accompanied by a certain number of beliefs and
practices, some of them deriving from Confucian teachings, and others
originating from popular superstitions and Taoist rites. Many people, whether
scholars or common folk believe that the souls of their ancestors are the
natural protectors of the family line: it is to them that prayers are addressed,
imploring, for example, the curing of a sick child; their influence, and the sum
of good actions they accomplished in the lifetimes are also used to explain
success in business, in examinations. and all other fortunate developments.
In wealthy families, the ancestors' altar is a piece of furniture of great
value, made of hand-carved wood, red and gold painted. On which are arranged
copper candlesticks and perfume pans. The names of the ancestors for the past
four generations are inscribed on mahogany tablets: beyond that generation, the
dead are supposedly already reincarnated. The altar itself is placed in the main
room of the house, where it is ordinary shielded from view by a red silk
curtain. Carved and painted panels fixed on the walls or against the pillars,
bear inscriptions whose texts are usually composed by scholars who are personal
friends of the family. But whether the ancestors' altar is richly adorn-ed, or
consists merely of a white-painted. ordinary wooden table, it is always the
place where the entire family gathers on the occasions of the main feasts of the
year. It is the rallying place - a symbol of family solidarity. Around the
altar, in the presence of the ancestors, all discord must disappear and it is
before the altar that major decisions are made, and marriages consecrated.
The cult of the ancestors, which has no connection with religious faith,
exerts a profound influence on the daily life of the Vietnamese people. The
recollection of the ancestors - the fear of offending them or soiling their
reputations - coupled with the desire to please them, are sources of
inspiration, which guide the actions of the descendants. Even for a hardened
sinner, to lack respect for the ancestors is the worst offense imaginable.
Memorial of Le Van Duyet in Saigon
The cult of the ancestors can act as a substitute for religion, and many
Vietnamese content themselves with it.. But this cult is only a consequence, or
a sort of continuation of the respect owed to the parents beyond their
terrestrial existence. Thus, filial piety and the cult of the ancestors are but
two aspects of a single obligation. Filial piety stems from the idea that a
child is indebted to his parents for all the sacrifices they made for his
upbringing and education. The child thus owes his parents many favors and
kind-nesses, in addition to gratitude for the greatest kindness of all the gift
of life. Consequently the child owes submission to the authors of his existence,
no matter what his age. When his parents grow hider, he ought to prove his
gratitude by providing for their wants. As in the words of a popular song.
The kindnesses of my father are comparable to the Thai mountain.
Those of my mother, to a perennial Spring.
With great fervor I venerate my father and my mother
In order to conduct myself as a pious son.
In every family, as a rule, a part of the inheritance will be set aside for
use the cult of the ancestors, to assure the perpetuation of the rites. This
part of inherited property is called worshiped property ( huong hoa), and is
entrusted to the most worthy of the heirs, frequently the eldest son, who
receives a life annuity from this source. For fear that any impious son might
venture to sell this inalienable property, the Gia Long Code stipulated that any
descendant who attempted illicitly to sell the property bequeathed to him by his
parents, and de-signed to cover the expenses of the ancestral cult. will be
severely punished.
Confucianism
The doctrine of Confucius is set forth in the four classical texts called Tu
Thu and in the five canonical works called Ngu Kinh . The origins of the world
did not hold much interest for Confucius and this is why he chose to dedicate
himself instead to social problems. He founded his doctrine on the basis of
etiology. As a realist he proceeded as a sculptor would, realizing that the
final form can be molded only after the starting materials have been properly
prepared. Thus, the stability of a regime depends on an ideal, and this ideal
can have value. only if it is based on great examples from the past.
Starting with this conception, Confucius instituted the cult of the
ancestors, which places the dead relatives in the very heart of the household;
since this time, the family has been required to respect this tradition, because
none would dare to offend or provoke the souls of the dead.
In order to comprehend the doctrine of Confucius, it is necessary to sketch
the mainlines of his philosophy, which encompasses his conception of the
universe, of man and his principles of government - in short, all his guiding
ideas.
Cosmology. According to Confucius, in the beginning there was no God,
but rather, an ether which was laden with molecules called Khi , which carried
within them-selves a creative and moving force called ly , the force of
gravitation. The ether, which was inert in the beginning, was trans-formed by
the action of this force with the result that matter was created. Living
creatures in turn, were created from the matter thus produced. According to
Confucius, the world undergoes periodic changed: at the beginning of each one of
these great trans-formations, all molecules are freed to move unhindered in
space. Under the influence of the Ly gravitational force, a sort of cosmic
fermentation takes place, and in this way the matter for the following period is
produced. The lighter molecules then rise to form the firmament, while the
heavier ones descend to make up the planets. All of the creatures which are
produced from this original cosmic matter are categorized as either male or
female, and are thus subject to the general laws which govern male and female
behavior
The Innate Goodness of Man. According to Mencius, the most
distinguished of Confucius' disciples, man is inherently good; and to preserve
this inherent goodness, it is only necessary to keep passions in check. If men
do not live up to their potential goodness, it is because they neglect their
intellect, which atrophies in the hum-drum routine of everyday life. The wise
man, in contrast to the ordinary man, improves himself through study; lie knows
himself, and is the master of his passions. For this he will be honored by his
heirs, and his soul will have peace in the hereafter. In sum, those who do good
are rewarded and those who do evil must suffer the consequences.
Self-Perfection. According to Confucius, there are four rules which
must be followed to achieve perfection. First, one must be interested in
everything which exists, and second, be able to penetrate the secret, inner
essence of things. The third requirement is clear thinking, and the fourth is a
pure heart.
Social Relations. Confucianism is a doctrine of social hierarchies,
whose effectiveness has been demonstrated by history; the status quo was
maintained by the doctrine better than it could have been by the use of force.
Confucianism defines the attitudes which each member of the society should have
by rigid rules; and it prescribes the formula for three all-important sets of
social interaction, called Tam Cuong . These interactions are between ruler and
subject, Quan Than , between father and son, Phu Tu , and between husband and
wife, Phu Phu. It also dictates a moral code for the man of virtue, Quan Tu ,
who should be a living example of the five cardinal virtues: humanity, equity,
urbanity, intelligence and honesty. The man of virtue should also follow a path
of moderation: exaggeration in any direction is to be avoided, and equanimity is
to be cultivated. This attitude has often been mistaken by Westerners for
impassiveness, placidity, or even hypocrisy. This moral perfection may be
progressively attained by traversing four essential steps: the improvement of
oneself, the management of the family, the governing of the country, and
finally, the pacification of the world.
As for the woman, she should in all circumstances conform to the three
obediences: obedience to her father until she is married, obedience to her
husband after she leaves her father's house, and obedience to her eldest son,
should she be widowed. Further, the model woman should possess the four
essential virtues : skill with her hands, agreeable appearance, prudence in
speech, and exemplary conduct.
Propagation of Confucianism in Viet Nam. Confucianism was introduced
to Viet Nam during the period of Chinese domination. Later, even with the period
of national in-dependence, 939 to 1407, the Vietnamese did not abandon the
traditions of Confucianism. Thus, it is clear that the politico-philosophic
system of Confucianism- has left a profound impression on the social structure
of the country. The Confucian system of competitive examinations was adopted by
the Vietnamese to determine eligibility for admission to civil and military
posts. Concerning these competitions, the Annals report that they were first
held in 1070, that a temple of literature dedicated to Confucius and 72 wise men
was built in 1075, and that the first Vietnamese Academy was instituted in 1086,
headed by Mac Hien Tich, a First Doctor of the kingdom. Started at' this time,
the literary competitions were held almost without interruption, even up to the
beginning of the Twentieth Century, and furnished the country with competent
military and civil leaders. At that time, it was thought that the requirements
of a military education did not differ very much from those necessary for a
ruler. Thus, Vietnamese generals were not only military strategists, but were
men of letters as well; and the orders of the day were often written in poetic
form.
As far as the distribution of wealth is concerned, Confucianism teaches that
poverty is less to be feared than injustice, since the latter engenders hatred
and jealousy.
The principle of communal autonomy Is so important in Viet Nam that it is
unsurpassed in any other region of the world. An old adage illustrates this very
well: The customs, of the village take precedence over the laws of the King .
The administration of the village is handled by a Council of Notables, elected
by the people. Since the 15th Century, each village has been required to make an
annual payment to the national treasury.
The ancient Vietnamese society was, in principle, divided into four loosely
defined classes: farmers, artisans, merchants and scholars. No one was a
prisoner of his class at birth, because anyone at all could become a Governor or
Prime Minister - provided that his culture and his merits enabled him to win in
the triennial literary competitions.
According to the principles of Confucianism, the State belongs to everyone.
Any ruler who possessed the Mandate of Heaven was considered responsible for
both the for-tunes and misfortunes of his people. Since the people knew the will
of Heaven, it was the duty of the leaders to respect the people's desires - to
love what the people love, and to hate what the people hate. This concept of
democracy was condensed by Mencius in the formula, First comes the people, then
comes the state, and the King is negligible. It is thanks to these egalitarian
principles of Confucianism that the Vietnamese were able, during their long
history, to accomplish their social evolution and a democratic apprenticeship
without bloodshed or disorder.
Buddhism
The origins of Buddhism in Viet Nam can be traced to the Second Century.
The Philosophy of Buddha. For the Buddhist, life is seen as a vast sea of
suffering, in which man wallows hopelessly. In effect, the vicious circle of
existence is renewed in the course of endless reincarnations. Buddha himself
taught that, All the pain which we suffer is caused by Desire: desire for life,
happiness, riches, power, and so on. If desire were suppressed, the cause of
pain would be destroyed. The essence of Buddhist teaching is contained in the
concept of Kharm, the law of causality: the present existence is conditioned by
earlier existences, and will condition those to follow. Thus, the virtuous man
should strive constantly to improve himself by doing good deeds, and by
renouncing sensual pleasures, so that he can become conscious of the existence
of Buddha, who is present in every living being. Con-sequently, desire must
first be overcome; and a pure heart is necessary to break the chains binding man
to his earthly existence.
Greater and Lesser Vehicles. Born in India, Buddhism spread rapidly
throughout Asia. Nevertheless, its disciples - without wanting to - created a
schism. In fact, the form of Buddhism which was taught by monks who took the
overland route differed significantly from the form taught by those who crossed
the Indian Ocean to the lands bordering the Pacific. Thus, the religion
propagated along the paths of the great historic migrations was the Mahaynna, or
Greater Vehicle, while the religion which was carried over the maritime routes
as Hinayana, or Lesser Vehicle Buddhism. The Greater Vehicle Buddhism, in the
course of its long migrations, was gradually modified to include a number of
minor Buddhas. On the contrary, Buddhism of the Lesser Vehicle kept all the
rigor of the teaching of the Buddha: pity, morality, patience, zeal,
contemplation and knowledge.
Propagation of Buddhism in Viet Nam. About two-thirds of Viet Nam's
approximately 30 million people are of Buddhist faith. Since the Second Century
the Vietnamese people were already acquainted with the great Buddhist doctrine
which stresses the transitory nature of all things.
In its early stages, during the period of Chinese domination, Buddhism did
not receive any official support, since the Chinese were mainly concerned with
the doctrine of Confucianism. The brief independence of Viet Nam from 544 to
602, favored the expansion of Buddhism. But it was during the third Chinese
domination from 603 to 939 that real progress was made, thanks to the arrival of
two foreign missions of the Dhyana sect.
In 939, Ngo Quyen overthrew the Chinese and established a new regime. But the
rebellion of the twelve feudal Lords thwarted his ambitions. During this
troubled period, which lasted for three decades, Buddhism marked time.
With the coming to power Dinh Bo Link, Buddhism enjoyed an era of prosperity
which was to last until 1009. The Emperor Dinh Bo Linh brought a monk into the
Court, who taught the Emperor the lessons of the Dharma. In appreciation for
this, the Emperor appointed the monk as head of the Buddhist Clergy, which had
just been formed. Buddhism continued to benefit from the favors of the Crown
under later rulers of this dynasty, and all the great scholars of the Court were
drawn from the Buddhist Clergy. Thus, it is easy to understand why the Court
continued to give its protection to Buddhism, and favored its expansion.
In the year 1009, a palace revolt put an end to reign of the Le and brought
to power a mandarin by the name of Ly Cong Uan, who assumed the royal name of Ly
Thai To. He immediately gave his protection to Buddhism, which was soon to
attain the highpoint of its development. The successors to Ly Thai To continued
to show their piety and devotion to Buddhism. Under the reign of fly Thai Tong,
95 pagodas were built and all the existing temples and statues of Buddha were
restored. In 1049, the Emperor had a dream in which he was led to the Palace of
the Lotus. As a result of this dream, he ordered the construction of a temple in
the form of a lotus flower. This is the famous single pillared temple in Hanoi.
The third king of the dynasty, fly Thank Tong, was a living incarnation of
Buddhist compassion. During his reign, he ordered food and clothing to be
distributed to the needy, and granted pardons to numerous prisoners.
Under the reign of fly Thank Tong, Confucianism entered into the intellectual
life of the country via the competitions for recruiting new mandarins. These
Confucianist scholars, however, were not concerned with Buddhism. At the
beginning of the Tran Dynasty, all the signs indicated that Buddhism would
maintain its position despite the renewed competition from Confucianism. But
after a period of uncertainty, Buddhism was faced with the challenge of still
other competing doctrines. Notably, in 1414, Viet Nam fell under the rule of the
Ming Dynasty, which instilled new vigor into Confucianism. The Chinese governors
destroyed many temples, and confiscated all the Buddhist books. In 1428, Viet
Nam recovered its independence; but the Emperor Le Thai To instituted an
examination for the monks, who had to become laymen again if they failed thirty
years later, Buddhists were subjected to strict surveillance, and were forbidden
to construct any new pagodas. Thereafter, Buddhism survived among the people
only as one element in a mixture of religious beliefs.
From 1528 to 1602, thanks to the struggle between the Trinh in the North and
the Nguyen in the South, Buddhism regained some lost ground: new Dhyana sects
were formed, and many monasteries were restored. In 1601, Nguyen Hoang ordered
the construction of the Pagoda of the Heavenly Lady, which can still be seen in
the city of Hue.
With the coming to power of the Nguyen in the South, however, Buddhism became
apolitical tool, and the monks were reduce to the function of guardians of the
pagodas. They decay of discipline in the very heart of the monasteries was to
provoke a devastating decline of Buddhism.
Modern Buddhism. 1920 saw the beginning of an organized movement for
the restoration of Buddhism throughout the country. Starting in 1931,
Associations of Buddhist Studies were established in the South, the Center, and
North Viet Nam. The goal of these Associations was the regeneration of the
Buddhist community, with a view to providing the country with faithful and
educated monks. Many translations of both Greater and Lesser Vehicle Buddhist
texts were distributed. The Dhyana sect, however, died out, while amidism -
which makes Amitaba, the first historical Buddha, a meta-physical divinity -
grew in popularity. The popularization of the doctrine was supported by all the
Vietnamese social classes.
Unfortunately these advances were wiped out by the Second World War. In 1948,
the monks reassembled in Hanoi. In 1949, an orphanage, a private college and
other works of good will for the benefit of war victims appeared both in Hanoi
end in the provinces. In South and in Central Viet Nam, the same reorganization
took place with equal success. On May 6,1951, a National Congress at Hue brought
together many delegates from the buddhist Associations in the country. Among
other things, the Congress ratified the pro-position of the Buddhist delegate
from the North, that Vietnamese Buddhism join the world Association of Buddhism.
The Second World Congress which met in Tokyo in 1952, gave Vietnamese Buddhism a
chance to demonstrate its vitality. All things consider-ed, it can be said that
Buddhism remains the most wide-spread of Vietnamese religions.
Finally, let us mention the efforts to renovate and reunify Buddhism which
have permitted the foundations to be laid for a unified Buddhist Church, and the
creation of the Buddhist Institute for the Propagation of the Faith, the Vien
Hoe Dao.
Christianity
In comparison with the other religions of Viet Nam, Christianity was
introduced relatively recently. In fact, it was not until the 16th century that
Christian missionaries began preaching the Gospel to the Vietnamese; and their
efforts met with greater success here than elsewhere in Asia. Also, because of
the strong regionalism discussed previously, the tendency was for large portions
of a community to convert at the same time; as a result, the Catholic population
is for the most part grouped into separate communities, which possess a strong
sense of unity and coherence.
The first who arrived in Viet Nam to propagate the Catholic faith were Saint
Oderic de Pordenone and Saint Francis Xavier. En route to China in the beginning
of the 14th century, the former stopped off in the Chaznpa kingdom, located in
what is now the province of Binh Dinh, South Viet Nam. The latter, Patron' Saint
of the Orient, landed in Central Viet Nam in the 15th century, seeking refuge
from a storm which arose during his voyage to Canton.
Later, in 1533, the Emperor Le Trang Tong issued a decree forbidding the
teaching of Christianity by a missionary named Inigs Ingace In the villages of
Nine Cuong, Quan Anh, and Tra Lu, in the province of Nam Dinh. Nevertheless, the
next fifty years saw the arrival of a continuous stream of Catholic missionaries
from France, Spain and Portugal. In fact, the Spanish missionary, Ordonnez de
Cevallos, was able to convert the sister of Emperor Le The Tong in 1591, as well
as several other members of the royal family; however, Vietnamese documents of
this period do not mention this.
Following the request of Alexandra de Rhodes, Pope Alexander VII appointed
the first two Bishops for the Far East in 1659.Lambert de la Motte and Francois
Pallu who were thus designated, took up their posts in Viet Nam, with the former
going to the South, and the latter to the North. In 1668, at Yuthia, Siam, the
first four Vietnamese priests were ordained by Msgr. Lambert dela Motto; and in
the next year, acting for Msgr. Pallu, he ordained seven more priests. In North
Viet Nam. Msgr. Pallu, who was in Rome at the time, requested that six new
Bishops he chosen for- Viet Nam, from these newly ordained native priests.
However, circumstances did not permit this request to be granted.
During the 17th century, persecutions of Catholic priests and their followers
took many lives in the North as well as the South. In the 18th century, the
persecutions became even more severe: in 1750, Vo Vung expelled 26 foreign
missionaries at one time, and there remained in the country only three
Vietnamese priests to carry on the work of the Missions.
With the coming to power of Gia Long in 1802, the Church enjoyed a period of
relative peace, which was interrupted sporadically under the reigns of Gia
Long's successors, notably, during the reign of Tu Duc (1848-1983), the
persecution of Catholics was resumed, since this Confucianist monarch feared
that the newer religion would undermine the traditional social order.
After all these vicissitudes, the peace of the Church was reestablished in
1888. Since then, the number of converts has continually increased; from 420,000
in 1840, their numbers grew to 1,237,000 in 1927. In 1933, the vietnamese
secular clergy saw the consecration of its first Bishop, Msgr. Nguyen Ba Tong;
and since this time, the Vietnamese vicarates have gradually been placed under
the jurisdiction of native Bishops; although as late as 1960, there were still
two which remained under the direction of the Foreign Missions in Paris.
In 1965, there Were reportedly 1,559,077 Catholics in the South's population
of approximately 14,764,000 people - that is, roughly 10.5%. As for the clergy,
their number at this time was 1771 priests, of whom 1,376 were Vietnamese; also,
there were 4,826 nuns, the majority of whom were Vietnamese.
One can only guess at the figures for North Viet Nam. However, it is
estimated that in 1960, there were approximately 793,000 faithful and 321
priests.
From the foregoing paragraphs, It is obvious that the dominant Christian
influence in Viet Nam has been Catholicism. Protestant religions got a much
later start- in Viet Nam, and as a result have not achieved the same popularity
as the Catholic Church; however, especially since the end of World War II,
Protestant missionaries have taken an increasing interest in Viet Nam, and their
influence has steadily, if slowly, increased.
Other Religions
Taoism. Vietnamese Taolsm is derive from the doctrine of Lao Tzu,
which is based essentially on the participation of man in the universal order.
This order, which is taken for granted, depends on the equilibrium of the two
elements Yin (negative ) and Yang(positive), which represent the constant
duality of nature: rest and motion, liquid and solid, light and darkness,
concentration and expansion, material and spiritual. The material world being
imbued with these two principles, the Taoist believes that whoever is able to
act according to these principles could become the master of the world. This
belief, in turn, has promoted a certain mysticism, reflected in the magical
practices of certain sorcerers, who pretend to possess the secrets of the
universe. The Taoist refrains from disturbing the Natural Order; on the
contrary, he conforms to it in every circumstance. He considers the taking of
initiatives to be in vain; and thus, he disdains the active life, which is the
basis for the Taoist doctrines of passivity and absence of care. These
doctrines, which were adopted by many Confucian scholars as well, are summed up
in the Taoist maxim, Do nothing and everything will be accomplished
simultaneously. The restitution of the seal and sword to the Emperor by the
Imperial mandarins, who preferred retreat to honors and fortune; and the
fabulous meetings between fairies and immortals, which have so often been set to
verse in Vietnamese literature are of Taoist inspiration.
The supreme divinity of Taoism is the Emperor of Jade. With his Ministers of
Death and Birth, he controls the destiny of men. This cult is replete with
incantations, charms, amulets and the like, which once made for prosperous
trade, with the sorcerers intervening on every possible occasion in life. With
progress in education, however. these practices have tended to disappear.
Among the many popular cults attached to Taoism, two are particularly
interesting. The first is the cult of the Chu Vi , the Spirits of the Three
Worlds : the Terrestrial, the Celestial, -and the Aquatic, of which the feminine
divinities are the most famous. This cult is served by female mediums, who
permit the faithful to communicate with the divinities. The second cult, called
the Nol Dao (Local Religion) is typically Vietnamese. The principle deity of
this cult is the national hero, Tran Hung Dao, who is believed to offer
protection against evil spirits. The priests of this cult are mediums.
Cao-Daism
Cao-Daism originated in South Viet Nam in the beginning of this century. The
founder of this religion, Ngo Van Chieu, was formerly an administrative official
in Phu Quoc province. He was known as a holy man -a sweet and inoffensive
visionary, who believed passionately in spiritualism. This religion had no real
form until 1925, when the Colonial Counsellor, Le Van Trung revised the basis of
the religion and established the Ceo Dai religion. Cao-Daism can be considered a
mixture of religions, and includes elements of Buddhism. Confucianism, Taoism
and Christianity
According to its believers, the spirit of Cao Dai appeared in the form of a
raven in November, 1926 and traced cryptic messages in the sand: I am the
Supreme Sovereign; the oldest of the Buddha - it is I; I am also Cakya-Mouni; I
am Jesus Christ; I now take the name of Cao Dai to teach a new religion.
Cao-Daism considers that the principle founders of religions are nothing more
than successive reincarnations of the same entity, the Supreme God, in different
times and indifferent places. Although there may be a diversity of rituals due
to differences of geography, usage and customs, the essence of all religions is
the same. Thus, It is the supreme heresy to oppose one religion to another; on
the contrary, it would be preferable to assemble all religions under the same
banner and teach the spirit of concord and brotherhood to the members of all
religions. Cao-Daism counts 1 million believers, residing principally in South
Viet Nam, and there are several thousand residing in other countries as well.
Cao-Deism preaches faith in one God; it recognizes the existence of the soul and
its successive rein-carnations, as well as the post-humus consequences of human
action, subject to the laws of Kharma (causality). It teaches respect for the
dead, the cult of the ancestors, love of good end of justice, and; the practice
of virtue and of resignation. It foresees the coming of a Messiah, Minh Vuong,
the just end en-lightened King, to reestablish the golden age. This original
religious system claims Universal excellence by unification of multiple forms of
religions; and it numbers among its saints Dr. Sun-Yet-Sen, the Vietnamese
prophet Treng Trinh. Victor Hugo, and even Sir Winston Churchill. The Holy See
of Cao-Daism is in Tay Nine province, South Viet Nem, at the foot of Ba Den
(Black Lady)mountain. This mysterious mountain shelters a number of hermits, who
collect medicinal plants end act as oracles.
The Hoa Hao. The Hoe Hao is a Buddhist sect, which originated in 1919
in the village of Hoa Hao; in the region of the delta. The head of this new
sect, Huynh Phu So, was taught by a hermit of the Tra Son pagoda, where he was
cured of a previously hopeless illness. The holy man, a specialist in the
practice of acupuncture, taught him the practice of sorcery, the principles of
magnetism and hypnotism, and the art of fabricating lucky talismans. When the
hermit died, Huynh Phu So returned to his village; and on the night of a storm,
began a speak for several hours without interruption, as though he were
possessed. He talked about a doctrine of Buddha, adapted to new circumstances,
and declared himself to be the successor of Buddha and the founder of a new
religion, Phat Giao Hoe Hao ( Hoa Hao Buddhism).
Huynh Phu So was known for his declamations of semi-religious, semi-prophetic
verses. He recommended the simplification of rites and the abolition of temples
and intermediaries, in order to enable the faith-full to enter into direct
communication with the All-Powerful. In his preachings, he ventured to make
prophesies, certain ones of which have been fulfilled. And he healed almost
miraculously a number of individuals, which impressed the people even more, and
thus assured the success of the new sect.
Hoa Hao Buddhism has 11/2 million adherents in the western part of South Viet
Nam.
Among other religions found in Viet Nam, we might mention Brahmanism and
Islam, which are practiced by the Hindus and the Pakistanis, as well as by the
Chams; and the Bahai religion, which has been brought in only very recently, and
claims to be the religion of the future. In a short time, it has succeeded in
assembling a rather large following.
|
XUVN.com