How Heaven Works
The Collective Shamanic Journeys of Ph?m Cong T?c and the Syncretic Afterworld of Caodaism
Published on 24. October 2024
Book
Hardback
360 pages
978-90-04-68069-2 (ISBN)
Description
In 1948, Vietnam's great 20th Century mystic Ph?m Cong T?c (1890-1959) began a series of sermons making Caodaism's claims to universal salvation the clearest. In only two decades, Caodaism had stamped its fast-growing presence on the nation. With potent creative and poetic skill Ph?m Cong T?c invited his co-religionists to take a shamanic journey with him to examine the heavens and literally see how they would be saved. The 35 sermons translated here are provided with a commentary and extensive introduction by Hartney. How Heaven Works is a fascinating insight into the deep connection between shamanic atmosphere, literature, and Modern syncretic concepts of salvation.
More details
Series
Edition
c. 385 pp., 5 ill.
Language
English
Place of publication
Leiden
Netherlands
Target group
College/higher education
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
2 farbige Abbildungen, 3 s/w Abbildungen
2 Illustrations, color; 3 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 238 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
699 gr
ISBN-13
978-90-04-68069-2 (9789004680692)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Christopher Hartney, Ph.D. (2004), University of Sydney, is Senior Lecturer and Chair of Studies in Religion at that university. He has published extensively on Caodaism, sacred creativity, and the nexus between religion and violence.
Content
Preface
Acknowledgements
Part1 General Introduction and Context
1 Caodaism, Syncretism, and Renovation
?1?What, Then, Is Caodaism?
?2?Caodaism and Its Millenarian Project
2 The Textual-Historical Divisions of Tay Ninh Caodaism
?1?Stage One: 1925-1934
?2?Stage Two: 1935-1955
?3?Stage Three: 1955-1975
?4?A Fourth Stage: 1975-
3 Who Was Ph?m Cong T?c and What Constitutes Mediumship in Caodaism
?1?Mediumship in Caodaism
?2?The Development of the Hi?p Thien Dai
?3?The Second Period of Scriptural Development
4 Sources of The Divine Path
?1?Early Textual Developments at the Dawn of Caodaism
?2?Kinh Khai C?u D?i T??ng va Ti?u-T??ng: The Prayers of the Faith
?3?Thien Thai Ki?n Di?n [A Visit to Celestial Realms]
5 The Structure of The Divine Path
?1?The Tay Ninh Section (Opening)
?2?Approaching the Celestial Bat Quai Dai (First Orientation Section)
?3?The Cloud Cave Interregnum (Sermon Five)
?4?The Divine Mother and the White Jade Palace (Second Orientation Section)
?5?The Work of the Cung Th? Thien Hanh Hoa
?6?The "Tong D??ng" or "Spiritual Family" Section
?7?Beyond Nirvana: The "D?i H?i Long Hoa" or Great Dragon Flower Assembly
6 Site, Space, Voice, Ritual, and Eventually, Text
?1?The Great Divine Temple as Performance Space
?2?Ritual, Voice, and Shamanic Suggestion
7 The Purpose of Turning Performance into Text, and Conclusions
?1?The Third Period of Text Development or the History of the Present Text
?2?The Divine Path as Theological Memory Palace
?3?The Ultimate Purpose of the Universe and of the Caodaist Paradise
?4?Conclusions
?5?A Short Note on the Translation
Part2 The Sermons and Commentary
Translators' Note
1 What is the Divine Path to Eternal Life? There are Three Methods of Creating a Divine Position
?Commentary on Sermon One
2 The Realm of The Th?a Thien Hanh Hoa
?Commentary on Sermon Two
3 The Form of the Bat Quai Dai and the Sea of Suffering: A Sermon Given Specifically for Officials of the C?u Trung Dai
?Commentary on Sermon Three
4 Entering the Bat Quai Dai via the O-Tri pond, Gender Equality, and the Sea of Suffering
?Commentary on Sermon Four
5 The Paradise of Extreme Joy and the Image of the Divine Mother
?Commentary on Sermon Five
6 The Power of the Divine Mother
?Commentary on Sermon Six
7 The Ngan River and the Animal Nature of Humanity
?Commentary on Sermon Seven
8 The Secrets and Mysteries of the Bat Quai Dai and the Motion of the Eight-levels of Souls
?Commentary on Sermon Eight
9 The Dragon Flower Assembly Where Positions Will Be Granted to Worthy Souls
?Commentary on Sermon Nine
10 The Secret and Essential Philosophy of the Religion: The Perispirit and Civilization
?Commentary on Sermon Ten
11 The All-Pervasive Nature of the Four Sufferings/Four Noble Truths and the Story of the King of Hell
?Commentary on Sermon Eleven
12 The Power of Protecting the Souls of Human Beings in the Religion
?Commentary on Sermon Twelve
13 How Atheists Debate at the Cung Hi?p Thien Hanh Hoa
?Commentary on Sermon Thirteen
14 The Method of Cultivating the Way; Although Each of the Five Branches Is Different, They All Have the Same Aim: To Free Humanity from Suffering
?Commentary on Sermon Fourteen
15 The Secret Dharma that Develops an Altruistic Life, Destroys Selfishness, and Elevates Public Life against Individual Desire
?Commentary on Sermon Fifteen
16 The Law of Love and the Right of Justice; How to Lead Humanity Towards Union Through Belief
?Commentary on Sermon Sixteen
17 The Power of the Law of Love, the Dharma of Justice, and the Agreement Between the Supreme Being and Humanity
?Commentary on Sermon Seventeen
18 The True Happiness of Humanity
?Commentary on Sermon Eighteen
19 The Supreme Being Devised the Caodaist Religion to Create Happiness for All Humanity and for Peace on this 68th Planet
?Commentary on Sermon Nineteen
20 The Image of the Divine Mother on Earth Is the Image of Shiva; The Divine Extended Family of Each Individual Will Meet at Cung Dieu Tri
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty
21 The Secret Inherent in What We Have Done, What We are Doing, What We Must Do; The Relation Between the Angel and the Animal in Each of Us and How This Relates to the Court of Heaven
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-One
22 The Philosophy of Civilization
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Two
23 The Desire to Progress on the Path to the Eternal Life Is Limitless
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Three
24 Our Sins Are Recorded by Our Own Perispirit; Therefore, There Is No Way We Can Deny Them
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Four
25 The Ph?c-Linh Realm and How to Preach the Way
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Five
26 The Method of Governing the Universe Lies in How We Govern Ourselves
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Six
27 Our Arrival at the Cung Ph?c Linh and the Secret Dharma That Liberates the Self
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Seven
28 Linh Tieu Di?n [The Ng?c H? Cung] and the Governing Body of the Supreme Being
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Eight
29 The Difference Between the Process of Rising Through Heaven and the Process of Falling into the Dark Realms
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Nine
30 The Paradise of Extreme Joy: Where We Are Temporarily Liberated; Although This is Not the Ultimate Realm for Souls
?Commentary on Sermon Thirty
31 The Supreme Being Preserves Our Divine Extended Family
?Commentary on Sermon Thirty-One
32 What Is a Drop of Holy Water? What Is the True Appearance of Nirvana?
?Commentary on Sermon Thirty-Two
33 Few People Achieve a Position in Heaven Because Lucifer Blocks the Way
?Commentary on Sermon Thirty-Three
34 The H?n-Ng??n Th??ng Thien
?Commentary on Sermon Thirty-Four
35 Loi Am Temple, Where Amitabha Buddha Reigns, and Where the Pilgrim Reaches His Lotus Throne
?Commentary on Sermon Thirty-Five
Appendix-Preface to the 1971 Edition: An Explanatory Introduction by Caodaist Historian Mr Tr?n Van R?ng
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgements
Part1 General Introduction and Context
1 Caodaism, Syncretism, and Renovation
?1?What, Then, Is Caodaism?
?2?Caodaism and Its Millenarian Project
2 The Textual-Historical Divisions of Tay Ninh Caodaism
?1?Stage One: 1925-1934
?2?Stage Two: 1935-1955
?3?Stage Three: 1955-1975
?4?A Fourth Stage: 1975-
3 Who Was Ph?m Cong T?c and What Constitutes Mediumship in Caodaism
?1?Mediumship in Caodaism
?2?The Development of the Hi?p Thien Dai
?3?The Second Period of Scriptural Development
4 Sources of The Divine Path
?1?Early Textual Developments at the Dawn of Caodaism
?2?Kinh Khai C?u D?i T??ng va Ti?u-T??ng: The Prayers of the Faith
?3?Thien Thai Ki?n Di?n [A Visit to Celestial Realms]
5 The Structure of The Divine Path
?1?The Tay Ninh Section (Opening)
?2?Approaching the Celestial Bat Quai Dai (First Orientation Section)
?3?The Cloud Cave Interregnum (Sermon Five)
?4?The Divine Mother and the White Jade Palace (Second Orientation Section)
?5?The Work of the Cung Th? Thien Hanh Hoa
?6?The "Tong D??ng" or "Spiritual Family" Section
?7?Beyond Nirvana: The "D?i H?i Long Hoa" or Great Dragon Flower Assembly
6 Site, Space, Voice, Ritual, and Eventually, Text
?1?The Great Divine Temple as Performance Space
?2?Ritual, Voice, and Shamanic Suggestion
7 The Purpose of Turning Performance into Text, and Conclusions
?1?The Third Period of Text Development or the History of the Present Text
?2?The Divine Path as Theological Memory Palace
?3?The Ultimate Purpose of the Universe and of the Caodaist Paradise
?4?Conclusions
?5?A Short Note on the Translation
Part2 The Sermons and Commentary
Translators' Note
1 What is the Divine Path to Eternal Life? There are Three Methods of Creating a Divine Position
?Commentary on Sermon One
2 The Realm of The Th?a Thien Hanh Hoa
?Commentary on Sermon Two
3 The Form of the Bat Quai Dai and the Sea of Suffering: A Sermon Given Specifically for Officials of the C?u Trung Dai
?Commentary on Sermon Three
4 Entering the Bat Quai Dai via the O-Tri pond, Gender Equality, and the Sea of Suffering
?Commentary on Sermon Four
5 The Paradise of Extreme Joy and the Image of the Divine Mother
?Commentary on Sermon Five
6 The Power of the Divine Mother
?Commentary on Sermon Six
7 The Ngan River and the Animal Nature of Humanity
?Commentary on Sermon Seven
8 The Secrets and Mysteries of the Bat Quai Dai and the Motion of the Eight-levels of Souls
?Commentary on Sermon Eight
9 The Dragon Flower Assembly Where Positions Will Be Granted to Worthy Souls
?Commentary on Sermon Nine
10 The Secret and Essential Philosophy of the Religion: The Perispirit and Civilization
?Commentary on Sermon Ten
11 The All-Pervasive Nature of the Four Sufferings/Four Noble Truths and the Story of the King of Hell
?Commentary on Sermon Eleven
12 The Power of Protecting the Souls of Human Beings in the Religion
?Commentary on Sermon Twelve
13 How Atheists Debate at the Cung Hi?p Thien Hanh Hoa
?Commentary on Sermon Thirteen
14 The Method of Cultivating the Way; Although Each of the Five Branches Is Different, They All Have the Same Aim: To Free Humanity from Suffering
?Commentary on Sermon Fourteen
15 The Secret Dharma that Develops an Altruistic Life, Destroys Selfishness, and Elevates Public Life against Individual Desire
?Commentary on Sermon Fifteen
16 The Law of Love and the Right of Justice; How to Lead Humanity Towards Union Through Belief
?Commentary on Sermon Sixteen
17 The Power of the Law of Love, the Dharma of Justice, and the Agreement Between the Supreme Being and Humanity
?Commentary on Sermon Seventeen
18 The True Happiness of Humanity
?Commentary on Sermon Eighteen
19 The Supreme Being Devised the Caodaist Religion to Create Happiness for All Humanity and for Peace on this 68th Planet
?Commentary on Sermon Nineteen
20 The Image of the Divine Mother on Earth Is the Image of Shiva; The Divine Extended Family of Each Individual Will Meet at Cung Dieu Tri
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty
21 The Secret Inherent in What We Have Done, What We are Doing, What We Must Do; The Relation Between the Angel and the Animal in Each of Us and How This Relates to the Court of Heaven
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-One
22 The Philosophy of Civilization
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Two
23 The Desire to Progress on the Path to the Eternal Life Is Limitless
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Three
24 Our Sins Are Recorded by Our Own Perispirit; Therefore, There Is No Way We Can Deny Them
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Four
25 The Ph?c-Linh Realm and How to Preach the Way
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Five
26 The Method of Governing the Universe Lies in How We Govern Ourselves
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Six
27 Our Arrival at the Cung Ph?c Linh and the Secret Dharma That Liberates the Self
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Seven
28 Linh Tieu Di?n [The Ng?c H? Cung] and the Governing Body of the Supreme Being
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Eight
29 The Difference Between the Process of Rising Through Heaven and the Process of Falling into the Dark Realms
?Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Nine
30 The Paradise of Extreme Joy: Where We Are Temporarily Liberated; Although This is Not the Ultimate Realm for Souls
?Commentary on Sermon Thirty
31 The Supreme Being Preserves Our Divine Extended Family
?Commentary on Sermon Thirty-One
32 What Is a Drop of Holy Water? What Is the True Appearance of Nirvana?
?Commentary on Sermon Thirty-Two
33 Few People Achieve a Position in Heaven Because Lucifer Blocks the Way
?Commentary on Sermon Thirty-Three
34 The H?n-Ng??n Th??ng Thien
?Commentary on Sermon Thirty-Four
35 Loi Am Temple, Where Amitabha Buddha Reigns, and Where the Pilgrim Reaches His Lotus Throne
?Commentary on Sermon Thirty-Five
Appendix-Preface to the 1971 Edition: An Explanatory Introduction by Caodaist Historian Mr Tr?n Van R?ng
Glossary
Bibliography
Index