Divine Teachings on Life, Death, and the Meaning behind the Rituals: Selections from Cao Đài’s The Collection of Divine Messages, Part 1 of 2

Today, it is an honor to present selections from “Divine Teaching regarding ritual” and “Divine Orders concerning the arrangement of a ‘Ngoc Dan’” from Cao Đài’s The Collection of Divine Messages.

Divine Teaching regarding ritual.

“June 27th, 1926 The 18th day of the 5th month of the year of the Yang Fire Tiger

JADE EMPEROR, or CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT, TEACHING THE GREAT WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER.

Nhon, now you are to start practicing music until the day of the séance [which is the day of direct communication with the spiritual realm] at Vinh Nguyen Tu. For the ceremony opening, do not use the Bat Nha drums (small drums) but the Ngoc Hoang Sam drum (Jade Emperor Thunder drum) in twelve rounds with twelve strikes for each round. The Bach Ngoc Chung (White Pearl Bell) is to be striked the same way. At the ceremony convening, when ‘Start Music’ is announced, you will play all seven pieces of music and drums. […]

Lich will arrange the celebrants for the three inside altars as follows: The Taoist in the middle, The Confucian on the right, The Buddhist on the left. […]”

Divine Orders concerning the arrangement of a “Ngoc Dan.”

“July 15, 1926 JADE EMPEROR, or CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT, TEACHING THE GREAT WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER.

Cu and Tac, you must bring four children, and find eight other local children. Place three of them on each side as follows: An.........East side. Bich.......West side. Tri.........South side. Hoang...North side. Have each of them hold a little flag, as follows: blue, red, white, yellow, black- -three flags per each side. You three will hold the flags in the center. If there is not enough time to make flags in fabric, you may use colored paper […]. Cut them diagonally. Listen and obey.

After everything is arranged in order, Cu will hold the incense for Me to summon the angels. After that, tell Van to stay inside until the end. If you step out, your mind may become unstable.

Tell the children to meditate deeply. Obey! Tac: You must watch them closely at all times. Have Lich distribute flags to the children, because it is his duty to read the mantra while doing so.”