It was then on the boat for a short trip to our next stop a Cao Dai Temple, the sacred site of a very distinctive religion in Vietnam.
The Cao Dai religion (The full name of the religion is "The Great Faith [for the] Third Universal Redemption") was established in Vietnam in 1926. The name Cao Dai literally means "a high place" or figuratively the highest place in which God dwells.
The adherents of Cao Dai believe that God is the founder of all religions and the universe. This new religion is a fusion of major religions such as Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Christianity. Adherents engage in ethical practices such as prayer, veneration of ancestors, nonviolence, and vegetarianism with the goal of union with God and freedom from saṃsāra (Evil?).
Currently, Cao Dai is the 3rd largest religion in Vietnam. The symbol of the faith is the Left Eye of God, representing the yang (masculine, ordaining, positive and expansive) activity of the Lord.
The design of Cao Dai temples, shape and colouring are said to be standard around the world and include the incorporation of sacred images and symbols from the fusion of underpinning religions. The decoration of the temple(s) is full of vivid colours (See photos).
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