According to the Tân-Luật (The New Canonical
Codes), anyone who wishes to follow the Religion (CaoDaism) has to be introduced
by two followers of outstanding moral rectitude to the head of the parish/head
of the Local Congregation. These two sponsors must initiate and guide the new
disciple into the path of ethics and morality. Thus the new follower should
learn the prayers by heart, understand the Religious Codes promoted by the Great
Faith and must practice the Way.
In order to
become a Cao-Đài Disciple, an ordinary person must have a visible ceremony of
initiation. The disciple must kneel before God's Altar and take the following
solemn oath:
"I
..........vow that from now on I will know only one Cao-Đài Religion (God-Way
Religion), I will never change my mind, I will live in harmony and be a close
member of the believer's community, I will observe Cao-Đài Laws and Regulations.
Should I change my mind, I shall be exterminated by Heaven and Earth"
“Tôi tên: . . .
. . . . . . tuổi: . . . . . Thề rằng: từ đây biết một Đạo Cao Đài Ngọc Đế, chẳng
đổi dạ đổi lòng, hiệp đồng chư môn đệ gìn luật lệ Cao Đài, như sau có lòng hai
thì Thiên tru Địa lục
This ceremony has a spiritual value to the
Religion and particularly to the disciples themselves. The ceremony of
initiation is presided over and witnessed by a dignitary or sub-dignitary. After
the ceremony of initiation the new follower receives a temporary religious
certificate (Sớ Cầu Đạo tạm). The new disciples then are considered in the
probation period of 6 months for practising the Way. They learn by heart the
prayers in verse, get acquainted with rituals in daily services and major
ceremonies, maintain the vegetarian diet at the minimum level of 6 days per
month, study God's teachings, and observe the Cao-Đài Laws and Regulations. At
the end of the probation period if followers show that they are able to fulfill
the required duties for Cao-Đài disciples, they then receive a permanent
religious certificate (Sớ Cầu Đạo thiệt thọ).
According to the
Secular Rules/Laws on the Secular Life of the Faithful (Thế-Luật), "Having
recognized the existence of one Master, the faithful must consider themselves as
children of the same Father. They must love one another, maintain good relations
among themselves, help each other sincerely, mutually guide one another in the
Religious Path and the secular Path".
After making the
solemn vow, the new disciples belong to one universal bond of humanity in the
Caodaist community. They make no distinction as to race, nationality, colour and
language. They call the other followers brother (huynh, đệ) and sister (tỷ, muội)
as brothers and sisters in one family. Baptism (入門, entering the Cao-Đài Religion) spells
out a number of duties for the follower as mentioned above; it tacitly involves
repentance of all misdeeds done in the past, and the resolution to follow
henceforth the path of virtue, righteousness, love, forgiveness and justice.
Moreover,
baptism opens the door for the disciple to follow the new pattern of living,
thinking, and acting within the framework of Cao-Đài teachings.
Conversion Oath
(36 words)
I, named . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . born on . . . . . . . . . . .
“I
swear that I recognize only Caodaism as my faith. I shall observe all Cao-Đài
Laws and Regulations and shall never recant, if I do betray my oath may I be
exterminated by Heaven and Earth”.
INAUGURATION OATH OF
SUB-DIGNITARIES
1/ IN FRONT
OF GOD'S ALTAR:
I, (Full
name) . . . . . . . . . . .of Religious Village . . . . . . . . . . . .has
been publically elected to (Chánh-Trị-Sự/Phó Trị-Sự/Thông-Sự). . . . . .
. . . .wow that:
“From
today, I will forever exert impartially in all religious matters, I cannot be
biased even for the benefit of my parents, my brothers and sisters, my spouse
and children. I will behave with the utmost sincerity when I act in the Name of
God to guide and lead my spiritual brothers, sisters who are all adepts of Jade
Emperor Cao-Đài. I swear completely loyalty to the Sacerdotal Council. I swear
to follow ever order given by superior dignitaries. I will treat all
co-believers as my blood brothers and sisters. I promise not to arbitrate
between co-believers perversely nor rule autocratically. If ever I should act in
a way counter to God’s teachings or betray my co-believers, or recant this
declaration, then let me be exterminated by Heaven and Earth, let my soul be
banished and endure the three ways of torture without hope of ever escaping this
Earthly World”.
2/ IN FRONT
OF HỘ-PHÁP'S ALTAR:
(Dedicated only to Chánh-Trị-Sự and
Thông-Sự, because they are the Laws and Regulations protectors)
I,
(Full name) . . . . . . . . . . .of Religious Village . . . . . . . . .
. . .has been publically elected to (Chánh-Trị-Sự/ Thông-Sự). . . . . . .
. . .wow that:
“From
today, I will forever exert impartially in all religious matters, I cannot be
biased even for the benefit of my parents, my brothers or sisters, my spouse
and children. I will behave with the utmost sincerity when I act in the Name of
God to guide and lead my spiritual brothers and sisters who are all adepts of
Jade Emperor Cao-Đài. I swear completely loyalty to the Sacerdotal Council. I
swear to follow ever order given by superior dignitaries. I will treat all
co-believers as my blood brothers and sisters. I promise not to arbitrate
between co-believers perversely nor rule autocratically. If ever I should act in
a way counter to God’s teachings or betray my co-believers, or recant this
declaration, may the Hộ-Pháp banishes my soul by the three ways of torture
without hope of ever escaping this Earthly World”.
LỜI
MINH THỆ NHẬM CHỨC CỦA BÀN-TRỊ-SỰ
Tham chiếu:
-Chỉ thị số 75-NCPS ngày 16 Tháng 4 năm Giáp Dần, (DL: 7.05.1974) của
Ngài Ngọc Đầu Sư NGỌC NHƯỢN THANH.
-Thánh Lịnh thi hành ngày 22 Tháng 4 năm Giáp Dần, (DL:
13.05.1974 ) của Ngài Phối Sư Ngọc Tịnh Thanh, Thượng Thống Lại Viện Tòa Thánh
Tây Ninh.
1/ TRƯỚC THIÊN-BÀN ĐỨC
CHÍ-TÔN:
Tôi là . . . . . . . . .
. .ở Hương Đạo . . . . . . . . . . . .lảnh chức . . . . . . . . . .thề rằng:
"Từ đây tôi giữ dạ vô tư hành đạo, dầu cha mẹ, anh, chị, em, vợ con,
chẳng đặng phép tư vị, giữ dạ chơn thành, thế Thiên hành đạo mà dìu dắt cả anh
em chúng tôi đều là môn đệ của CAO ĐÀI NGỌC ĐẾ, trọn trung cùng Hội Thánh, nhứt
nhứt do lệnh Chức sắc bề trên, coi cả tín đồ như anh em ruột, không đặng chuyên
quyền, chẳng đặng vạy tà, như ngày sau tôi có bội sư phản bạn, đổi dạ thay lòng
thì THIÊN TRU ĐỊA LỤC, LINH HỒN TẬN ĐỌA TAM ĐỒ BẤT NĂNG THOÁT TỤC".
2/ TRƯỚC BÀN THỜ
HỘ-PHÁP:
(Chỉ dành cho Chánh
Trị Sự và Thông Sự, vì 2 Chức-vụ nầy có giữ về Luật Pháp của Đạo).
Tôi là . . . . . . . . .
. .ở Hương Đạo . . . . . . . . . . . .lảnh chức . . . . . . . . . .thề rằng:
"Từ đây tôi giữ dạ vô tư hành đạo, dầu cha mẹ, anh, chị, em, vợ con,
chẳng đặng phép tư vị, giữ dạ chơn thành, thế Thiên hành đạo mà dìu dắt cả anh
em chúng tôi đều là môn đệ của CAO ĐÀI NGỌC ĐẾ, trọn trung cùng Hội Thánh, nhứt
nhứt do lệnh Chức sắc bề trên, coi cả tín đồ như anh em ruột, không đặng chuyên
quyền, chẳng đặng vạy tà, như ngày sau tôi có bội sư phản bạn, đổi dạ thay lòng,
thì tôi thề HỘ PHÁP TẬN ĐỌA TAM ĐỒ BẤT NĂNG THOÁT TỤC".
