Dr. Lukas Pokorny’s visit to Cao Dai in Viet Nam

Updated 2012-05-14 13:40:20

(Reported by Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan - July 15, 2010)

 

Lukas Pokorny is from Austria, with a job as Research Assistant at the Chair of East Asian Economy and Society. He is Vice Director of the Studies Program of the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Vienna. He holds an M.A. degree in Comparative Religious Studies, General History, Philosophy, and Korean Studies and a PhD in Philosophy. His current research focuses on Religious Traditions in East Asia, with emphasis on the Role of Confucianism and the Political Impact/Doctrinal Dimension of New Religious Movements, Historical Epistemology, and Comparative Religious Studies.

 

 

This summer, he received a mission from the University to visit Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, China. The purpose is to learn and see with his own eyes new religious movements in these countries and bring back precious experience to his students at the University. Of course, he cannot miss Viet Nam with two new religions that he wants to do a detailed study, Cao Dai and Hoa Hao.

 

 

In June of this year, to prepare for this important trip, Dr. Lukas Pokorny has contacted the Cao Dai Overseas Mission thru its website www.caodai.net and requested assistance to guide for a visit at the Cao Dai Holy See in Tay Ninh.

 

 

At the introduction of Mr. Canh Tran, former President of the Cao Dai Overseas Mission, Dr. Lukas Pokorny arrived at 2:00pm on July 9, 2010 at the Cao Dai temple in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. They are greeted by H.E Bishop Thuong Minh Thanh, Representative Chief of the Tay Ninh Sacerdoce in Ho Chi Minh city, Priest Thai Tho Thanh, Head of the Cao Dai temple of Fifth District, Student-Priest Huong Tho, Deputy Chief of Cao Dai temple of 5th District and Ms. Thanh Nhan, interpreter (Ms Thanh Nhan is Professor of English at the University Ton Duc Thanh, the Vietnamese-American Institute and Nguyen Tat Thanh Technical Institute in Ho Chi Minh City).

 

 

After two hours of discussion regarding Cao Dai philosophy, doctrine, rites, Dr. Pokorny has requested to buy the traditional Cao Dai robe, called “ao dai”, so that he could wear it when he visits the Holy See in Tay Ninh. Of course, his wish is fullfilled and he was presented with the “ao dai” as a gift from Bishop Minh.

 

 

The next day, July 10, 2010, under the guidance of Bishop Minh and Interpreter Nhan, Dr. Pokorny arrived in Tay Ninh. There, he visited the Holy See, the Holy Mother temple, the residence of the Pope, the residence and meditation center “Tri Hue Cung” of Ho-Phap, as well as many other buildings around the Holy See. Dr. Pokorny was proud to wear the Cao Dai “ao dai” and assisted at the ceremony with other adepts at 6:00pm, midnight and 6:00am the following morning.

 

 

On July 11th, 2010, the visit continued with tour of the “Ba Den Mountain”, the two  meditation centers “Van Phap Cung” and “Tri Giac Cung”. At the noon ceremony at the Holy See, Dr. Pokorny met a few foreign tourists to explain about Cao Dai, among the more than 300 hundred foreign tourists visiting there daily. He returned to Ho Chi Minh City that afternoon.

 

 

The next day, Bishop Minh guided Dr. Pokorny to visit the Binh Thanh temple, the purpose of which is to show and explain a few religious rites performed by the Cao Dai religion.

 

 

The visit ended with the following comments written by Dr. Pokorny on the Cao Dai souvenir book at the Holy See :

 

 

"Dear Bishop,

 

Fortunate circumstances have led me to you in order to enhance my understanding on Cao Dai. Due to your help in the past days I was able to deepen my knowledge on Cao Dai. It was a pleasure and privilege to attend and even participate in the liturgies in Tay Ninh. Also, I would like to cordially thank you for the kind reception. My journey has taught me a lot and I sincerely hope to make use of it in the future. Lastly, I would like to wish you all the best for the future.

 

With many thanks,

 

Yours Lukas Pokorny"

 

 

Two subjects that Dr. Pokorny showed great interest in studying the Cao Dai religion are : Spiritism and the “Hoi Long Hoa” (translated litterally, “Hoi Long Hoa” is called “Dragon Flower Assembly”, but its meaning can be called “The Divine Canonisation Assembly”). At Dr. Pokorny’s request, Bishop Minh has given Vietnamese books such as the Cao Dai Constitution, the New Canonical Codes, Book of Prayers, Book of Spiritual Messages and will request Mr. Canh to send English books later on.

 

 

We sincerely wish that this visit from Dr. Pokorny will result in bringing the Caodai course to the University of Vienna, Austria, as we did and are doing now at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Please click here to see photos of the visit : http://caodai.com.vn/vn/albumdetail/dr-lukas-pokornys-visit-to-saigon-temple-and-tay-ninh-holy-see-july-2010.html