Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh
Dear Friends around the world,
Three major religions are combined to form this special spiritual tradition. It is the first time I have heard of this and I find it fascinating. I have posted it here for educational purposes. Do enjoy the learning.Sincerely,
Tsem Rinpoche
Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh
One of the contributions of Vietnam to the world has been the religion Caodaista, a religion that takes its concepts from Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, etc. This religion was born in Tay Ninh province (South of Vietnam) in 1926, in this same place, Tay Ninh, stands the Holy See Caodista where the most representative building of all is the Temple Cao Dai, also called the Temple Divine.
History of the Cao Dai Religion
The founder of the Cao Dai religion (Cao Đai) was Ngo van Chien, a Vietnamese official who worked for the French administration. The literal translation of Cao Dai is “top place”.
This religion has 5 million adherents distributed in countries like Vietnam, Australia, Europe and United States. Its symbol is an eye within a triangle, the so-called third eye or the eye that sees everything and the triangle is the triangle of justice.
The 3 Saints of this religion are the founder of the Republic of China Sun Yat-Sen, the poet Victor Hugo and a Vietnamese Professor, Nguyen Binh Khiem, representing the Alliance between the earthly and the divine. The figures are what we see in a box at the entrance of the temple.
The 3 Saints of Cao Dai
Information about the Cao Dai Temple
The Temple of Tay Ninh, called Toa Thanh or Divine Temple, is the largest of all the Caodistas churches. It started in 1927 and finally opened in 1955, after many years of construction due to delays caused by financial and political problems. The Cao Dai Temple is a unique building, mixture of Asian and European architectures, where the most noteworthy of its exterior are its vivid colors and shapes of roofs.
Main facade of the Cao Dai temple
The Holy See of Cao Dai, which can be considered as the headquarters of Vatican in Christianity, occupies an area of 100 hectares. The whole complex is surrounded by a fence that protects the complex, with 12 gates. The largest of all doors is normally closed and only opens to make way for leaders and public personalities.
Gateway to Divine Cao Dai temple
The dimensions of the Cao Dai Temple is 140 meters long, 40 meters wide and 36 meters high. It is supported by 112 circular pillars.
The architecture of the Cao Dai churches reflects the precepts of this syncretic religion, for example the 2 Belfries are unique to Christianity. At the top of the main façade we find the statue of Maitreya Buddha in the lotus position. Shingles in red color and the pointy roofs are typical of Chinese architecture and Hinduism.
In the Holy See of Caodista, the main highlight is the Divine Temple, but we also have the tomb of Ho Phap, the Temple of the Holy Mother, the fabric House, the Office of the Pope and the Office of the Lady of the Cardinal.
Cao Dai tissue House (Tay Ninh, Vietnam)
Other Cao Dai Temples
In the vicinity of Tay Ninh province we can find other Cao Dai temples, however the most prominent temple, after the Santa Sede de Tay Ninh is the Da Phuoc Temple located in Dalat.
The Interior of the Holy See
The interior of the Cao Dai Temple is adorned by 18 columns painted in pink with sculptures of dragons and snakes. The columns divided the central part of the temple into 9 regions, representing the 9 regions that make up the Mekong Delta and also 9 stages of Caodistas until you reach the sky or the divine.
Cao Dai temple interior and the columns
The architecture and interior of Cao Dai temple
The ceilings are painted in blue, representing the sky and the stars, specifically 3072 stars. Around the temple there are many Caodista representations of the divine eye, which observe the faithful.
Divine eye on the altar of the temple of Tay Ninh
Ceilings and Cao Dai temple paintings in Tay Ninh
The main altar, which highlights a huge ball of the world or ORB in blue, along with the divine eye greatly all-seeing, dominates the place. On the altar, you can usually see floral offerings, 3 glasses of wine, 1 cup of water and 1 cup of tea. Just above the altar, we have statues of the three saints of Caodaism.
Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh
The faithful and monks who are inside the temple wear colorful tunics, their colors reveal their hierarchy within the religious institution.
Monks of the Cao Dai religion
Tour and Visit to the Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh
By its distance to the city centre of Ho Chi Minh City, and by the absence of tourist attractions in the city of Tay Ninh, the visit to the Cao Dai Temple is usually carried out jointly with an excursion to the Cu Chi tunnels.
Cao Dai religious mass
The typical tour starts from the ancient city of Saigon about 7:00 in the morning to arrive around 10:00 to Cao Dai Temple.
After finishing the prayer service around 12:45, the tour usually goes back to Ho Chi Minh City, stopping at the Cu Chi tunnels, ending the tour at 20:00 in Ho Chi Minh City.
Access to the Interior and Rules at the Cao Dai Temple
The Cao Dai Temple has 6 access doors. The main gate, called “Pure in Heart” is reserved for monks and worshippers access. On the sides there is a door for women (to the left) and a door for men (right margin).
All tourists without exception (men and women) may access through the right door (the door of the men, so to speak).
Access to Cao Dai Temple of Divine
To enter the interior of the temple, you must remove your shoes (is allowed with SOCKS). As floor tiles are heated by the Sun, there is usually a red carpet from the place where shoes are left up to the inside of the temple. With regards to clothing, there is no standard dress code, but it is recommended to wear clothes that are appropriate for visits to religious places.
Corridors and hallways of the divine temple in Tay Ninh
The Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh is a sacred place, pictures and videos are not allowed, but at all times the monks shall ensure that no one raises the tone of voice or enter the central part of the church, reserved for the faithful and priests.
Main Altar of Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh
Hours and Admission to the Cao Dai Temple
The Cao Dai Temple is open every day of the week without interruption, 24 hours a day. The entrance is free.
The celebration of the religious ceremony takes place every day of the week 4 times a day. The mass schedule at the Cao Dai Temple is: 6, 12: 00, 18: 00 and 00: 00 (duration 45 minutes), and the 12: 00 mass is the most popular among tourists.
Cao Dai religious ceremony
Recommendations and Advice for Tourists
10 minutes before the start of the religious ceremony, access is prohibited inside the temple.
During the church service, most visitors have access to landing that is between the front door and the stairs of the temple.
You are allowed to access the 2 balconies and the amphitheater. This amphitheater is relatively small and easily filled, so it is advisable to be seated 5 to 10 minutes before Mass begins.
Balconies and amphitheater of the Cao Dai Temple
When the Mass starts, you are not allowed to walk around the temple (including outdoor gardens).
We recommend you arrive at the Cao Dai Temple no later than 11: 00, to tour the surrounding area, visit inside the temple, chat with the monks and take a good view of the place before the 12: 00 mass.
In the sacred area of Cao Dai, vendors are not allowed, so it is advisable to bring your own drinks.
Location Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh
The religion Caodista is headquartered in Hoa Thanh district of Tay Ninh province, about 90 kilometers Northwest of Ho Chi Minh City and approximately 55 kilometers of the Cu Chi tunnels. The temple, visible from almost any part of the complex, is located about 150 meters from the main entrance from the road.
Getting to the Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh
The only way to get to the Cao Dai Temple is by road. Although it is only 90 kilometres from center of Ho Chi Minh City, due to the traffic and the state of the roads, many of them in construction or improvement process, it may take up to 2 and a half hours to arrive until the Cao Dai holy headquarters.
Corridors of Cao Dai temple
The ideal way to travel to Cao Dai is to go in van / tourist bus from Saigon, which the fee per person is around 10€ for a roundtrip, and that can be arranged easily in any travel agency in the area of backpackers from Saigon (streets of Tham, Tran Hung Dao and surroundings).
For those who dare to ride a motorcycle, be aware that the only secure parking in Cao Dai is for the faithful, there is no parking for tourists.
Cao Dai faithful devotees
Also you can go via a regular bus line, specifically the bus 702 departs from the Ben Thanh market bus station in Ho Chi Minh City to Tay Ninh. Bus fare is around 1€ per way. Another alternative is to go with the bus 13 to Cu Chi and from there take one of the many buses to Tay Ninh.
Virtual visit to the Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh
Here we have a video in which you can pay a virtual visit to the Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh.
Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/CaoDaiTemple.mp4
Source: http://en.vietnamitasenmadrid.com/cao-dai-temple-tay-ninh.html
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Found this old interesting post and first time reading this unique religion call Caodaism. It is Vietnam truly very unique religion which is a fusion of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Confucianism. Founded in 1926, in Hoa Thanh District, 5km southeast of Tay Ninh City, Vietnam. The Cao Dai Great Temple is still stands vividly today. Caodaism followers believe in reincarnation and the ability to progress through hierarchical plains of existence in life and death. Looking at those pictures in the post tells us it is a beautiful temple featuring the unique architecture and a colourful interior design.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article. This is my first time reading about this Cao Dai Temple. This is indeed a very unique religion which includes Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism. What an amazing article on a beautiful temple and another religion of mixed faith and from different era. So beautiful… _/\_
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article. This is my first time reading about this Cao Dai Temple. This is indeed a very unique religion which includes Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism. The temple has interesting architecture too. If I got the chance to go to Ho Chi Minh, I would love to visit this temple.
With folded palms,
Vivian
It is very interesting to hear about a faith that takes on the elements of three other faiths with it.
It is also a sign of how tolerant the Vietnamese are. One does not see the individual faiths that formed this faith, trying to subdue or suppress this faith. Kudos to the Vietnamese those who believe in just subscribe to one doctrine for having so much tolerance and acceptance to a faith that takes a part of each faith and made it their own.
What an amazing article on a beautiful temple and another religion.
Thank you for being so open and giving so much information on another religion which is quite different from Buddhism.
感谢仁波切的分享
这帖子的确让我们眼前一亮，我从来不知道原来有这样的一个非常独特宗教团体，当然我没有资格去评论或质疑任何的宗教信仰，但是我相信无论是什么样的一个宗教，只要是领导大家迈向和平与安定的，我想大家都有选择的权利要信奉什么宗教派别。
在照片中看到这个宗教团体的信徒们，建筑了一间如此充满色彩与宏伟的道场，我想这绝对是来自他们对于这个宗教信仰的热忱与归属感，然后他们穿上特定颜色的衣服来完成他们每一次的仪轨，表现出的是他们那份浓厚的情感，庄严与认真的态度。他们的道场里同时容纳了许多不同宗教派别的佛菩萨，主，神明或先贤们，我想这是一份，互相尊重，包容与爱吧。
我想“宗教”主要的是引领大家离开痛苦，和平共谐，寻找自己内心的那一份宁静与安定，保护我们以及让我们的“未来”能够有一个皈依处，无论您是什么身份或种族性别，您都有权利去追求您要的宗教信仰，因为只有您才知道您正真需要的是什么，而且在修行的道路上，修行到了最后背负起责任与一切结果的将会也是您自己必须去面对与承受的。
谢谢
Jerry Sito
It was very interesting to read this article on the Cao Dai temple in Tay Ninh, Vietnam. Prior to this, I did not know that such a place of worship existed where people followed a combination of ideology from religions like Buddhism, Christianity and etc.
It doesn’t matter what different ideology religions want it’s devotees to follow. However, all religions should teach it’s devotees to respect one another’s beliefs.
This is the first time I come across a house of faith with saints of mixed faith and from different era. It is also very interesting to note that their symbol of faith is the same as the Great Seal of the U.S., also known as the All-Seeing Eye. Aside from an interesting concept of belief, I must say that the art work of their main church, Cao Dai Temple is very impressive and worth a visit.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this interesting article.
Humbly, bowing down,
Stella Cheang
Thank you for sharing about this religion that mixes ideas from other religions such as Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism, Confucianism and Islam.
What I find most interesting is three Saints of this religion are the founder of the Republic of China Sun Yat-Sen, the poet Victor Hugo and a Vietnamese Professor, Nguyen Binh Khiem, representing the Alliance between the earthly and the divine.
Apparently Caodaism is the third largest religion in Viet Nam (after Buddhism and Roman Catholicism).
Had a very interesting read. First time to know there is a new religion is form by major. Sees the faithful people’s effort put up the construction of this temple. This shows that no matter how long it takes and as long as have the goal set and works toward it and it will manifest. I believe this will happen to Kechara Forest Retreat and Dorje Shugden banned as well.
If there’s a chance for me to land my foot in HCMC, I will definitely step my foot in this temple.
Thank you for the people behind that put up this post and highly appreciated.
_/|\_ Victor Choi
I went to this temple a couple of years ago. It was indeed interesting the practices practiced by the worshippers. The mixture of a few religions makes it unique to this region. There are many worshippers who come for their mass at noon and their rituals are similar to Taoism. Chanting and offerings were done during the ceremony. Rich in tradition and culture.
Like what Lew said, if the religion preaches peace, kindness and all that is good, then I guess it is a religion that you can practice. As long as it gives you peace of mind and your spirituality grows.
It is indeed quite interesting to see new religions are created, and I wonder what is their ideology, therefore I went to Wikipedia, and after reading some parts of it, it is really a mixture of different religions, even though Christianity & Buddhism differs quite a bit.
But I think the most important thing a religion should do , is to teach people to be kind, and to be of benefit to others. Like this say, “If your religion requires you to hate somebody, then you will need a new religion”. I find this is particularly true, and nobody should use religions to spread hatred and hostility.
May all religion be of beneficiary to all sentient beings.