Cao Dai Temple

Reason for the founding of Cao Dai: (From the official Cao Dai website)

Each time that human beings suffered when societies became chaotic, a religion was founded. For millenia, human beings have been blessed by having many forms of religion such as Hinduism, Judaism, Zoroasterianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam, et cetera. One always observes one same truth through religions, even when they are so physically different and founded at different times and places.

The truth is the existence of a Creator of all the universe and living beings, the existence of the Supreme Being who reigns in everyone's heart. Religions have called this Supreme Being by different names: Macrocosm by Hinduism, Yahweh by Judaism, Ahura Mazda by Zoroasterianism, Tao by Taoism, Monad by Confucianism, Allah by Islam, or simply "God" by a myriad of English speaking religious persons.

Then with time, the truth gets corrupted and diluted. Human beings have a tendency toward materialism. They discriminate against each other because of physical differences between religions; they fight, and kill each other under the form of religious wars; the relationship between parents and children, husband and wife, brothers and sisters, friends, becomes controlled by material desires and money. Universal philosophies such as Baha'i, Theosophy, and Oomoto Foundation were created, trying to connect the Eastern and Western religions.

In 1926 the Supreme Being founded CaoDai in Vietnam to show people that all religions are indeed of one same origin. In 1926, the Supreme Being gave the following message:

Nhien Dang Co Phat (Dipankara, 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 Cao Dai, 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.

The Symbol of Cao Dai:

God ordered to symbolize Him by an Eye, which is the image of the universal and individual consciousness.

God's messages:

The eye is the master of the heart; Two sources of pure light (Yin and Yang) are the master; Light is the spirit, The spirit itself is God, God is Me.

According to the Cao Dai, God and humans are one; Humans shall observe LOVE and JUSTICE in order to be unified with GOD.

The Cao Dai Mission Statement: The noble effort of Cao Dai is to unite all of humanity through a common vision of the Supreme Being, whatever our minor differences, in order to promote peace and understanding throughout the world. Cao Dai does not seek to create a gray world, where all religions are exactly the same, only to create a more tolerant world, where all can see each other as sisters and brothers from a common divine source reaching out to a common divine destiny realizing peace within and without.

The Cao Dai believes that the Eye, represents the heart. The source of twin pure light beams. Light and spirit are One. God is the Spirit's gleam.

Above the main altar.

This was at the entrance to the main temple.

In a nutshell, Cao Dai is the third link in a chain that started with Confucius, Buddha and Lao Tse. The next age had Jesus and Mohammed. The message from these divine intermediaries was garbled because of human frailty, and hence the need for repeated visits. Cao Dai followers believe that divine messages are revealed through cultural figures, who can be contacted directly through seances held in Vietnamese, French or English. The mural at the entrance to the Cao Dai Temple shows the signature of the "Third Alliance Between God and Man". The signatories are Sun Yat Sen, Nguyen Binh Khiem (a Vietnamese poet) and Victor Hugo. Victor Hugo is a popular figure in CaoDaism, and is contacted frequently.

Cao Dai is a universal faith with the principle that all religions have one same divine origin, which is God, or Allah, or the Tao, or the Nothingness, one same ethic based on LOVE and JUSTICE, and are just different manifestations of one same TRUTH.

One of the many buildings in the temple complex.

Picure of Jesus over the door.

Temple dedicated to the Divine Feminine.

The garden.

A grotto with the Virgin Mary at the temple's garden.

The four colors symbolize branches of Cao Dai: Buddhist is yellow, Taoist is blue, Confucian is red. Everyone else is represented by white, which combines all colors.

Ceremony in the temple.

The temple musicians and choir.

The Cu Chi Tunnels

It was strange to think that so many people were killed here. Not too long ago hell was a raging reality for so many that walked these grounds. I am sure there were also great moments of love, compassion and sacrifice.

Paulina & I in the kitchen. They served us some casava, which was a common meal for the soldiers during the war.

You don't want to fall into this.

The Commander's Bunker.

Cu Chi Tunnels are located approximately 30 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City in Cu Chi district. This district is known nationwide as the base where the Vietnamese mounted their operations of the Tet Offensive in 1968. Cu Chi Tunnels consist of more than 200 km of underground tunnels. This main axis system has many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and entrances to other tunnels. The tunnels are between 0.5 to 1 m wide, just enough space for a person to walk along by bending or dragging. However, parts of the tunnels have been modified to accommodate visitors. The upper soil layer is between 3 to 4 m thick and can support the weight of a 50-ton tank and the damage of light cannons and bombs. The underground network provided sleeping quarters, meeting rooms, hospitals, and other social rooms. Visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels provides a better understanding of the prolonged resistance war of the Vietnamese people and also of the persistent and clever character of the Vietnamese nation.

The War Room.

I am at the entrance to the surgery unit. I wonder how my surgeons would feel if they had to do surgery under these conditions.

Most Americans would have a very difficult time trying to maneuver through these tunnels, it was one of the advantages the Vietnamese had during the war.

Accommodations inside the Cu Chi Tunnels.

Artillery shells left over from the Vietnam War.

Doug with the Viet Cong.

Chairman Ho's Tomb

Although Ho Chí Minh is long gone, his policies still linger on, specially in the Vietnamese Communist Party, wherein the lack of a reputable leader dictates the need to continue worshipping Ho as the only answer for survival.

I was surprised to see to people offering prayers at this site. It is amazing how differently we all experience life/the world. It is a lesson in withholding judgment and always keeping an open heart.