Preface Acknowledgements Part1 General Introduction and Context 1 Caodaism, Syncretism, and Renovation 1 What, Then, Is Caodaism? 2 Caodaism and Its Millenarian Project2 The Textual-Historical Divisions of T'y 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 Phm Công Tc and What Constitutes Mediumship in Caodaism 1 Mediumship in Caodaism 2 The Development of the Hip Thiên dài 3 The Second Period of Scriptural Development4 Sources of The Divine Path 1 Early Textual Developments at the Dawn of Caodaism 2 Kinh Khai Cu di Tng và Tiu-Tng: The Prayers of the Faith 3 Thiên Thai Kin Din [ A Visit to Celestial Realms ]5 The Structure of The Divine Path 1 The T'y Ninh Section (Opening) 2 Approaching the Celestial Bát Quái dài (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 Thiên Hành Hóa 6 The Tông dng or Spiritual Family Section 7 Beyond Nirvana: The di Hi Long Hoa or Great Dragon Flower Assembly6 Site, Space, Voice, Ritual, and Eventually, Text 1 The Great Divine Temple as Performance Space 2 Ritual, Voice, and Shamanic Suggestion7 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 One2 The Realm of The Tha Thiên Hành Hóa Commentary on Sermon Two3 The Form of the Bát Quái dài and the Sea of Suffering: A Sermon Given Specifically for Officials of the Cu Trùng dài Commentary on Sermon Three4 Entering the Bát Quái dài via the Ô-Trì pond, Gender Equality, and the Sea of Suffering Commentary on Sermon Four5 The Paradise of Extreme Joy and the Image of the Divine Mother Commentary on Sermon Five6 The Power of the Divine Mother Commentary on Sermon Six7 The Ng'n River and the Animal Nature of Humanity Commentary on Sermon Seven8 The Secrets and Mysteries of the Bát Quái dài and the Motion of the Eight-levels of Souls Commentary on Sermon Eight9 The Dragon Flower Assembly Where Positions Will Be Granted to Worthy Souls Commentary on Sermon Nine10 The Secret and Essential Philosophy of the Religion: The Perispirit and Civilization Commentary on Sermon Ten11 The All-Pervasive Nature of the Four Sufferings/Four Noble Truths and the Story of the King of Hell Commentary on Sermon Eleven12 The Power of Protecting the Souls of Human Beings in the Religion Commentary on Sermon Twelve13 How Atheists Debate at the Cung Hip Thiên Hành Hóa Commentary on Sermon Thirteen14 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 Fourteen15 The Secret Dharma that Develops an Altruistic Life, Destroys Selfishness, and Elevates Public Life against Individual Desire Commentary on Sermon Fifteen16 The Law of Love and the Right of Justice; How to Lead Humanity Towards Union Through Belief Commentary on Sermon Sixteen17 The Power of the Law of Love, the Dharma of Justice, and the Agreement Between the Supreme Being and Humanity Commentary on Sermon Seventeen18 The True Happiness of Humanity Commentary on Sermon Eighteen19 The Supreme Being Devised the Caodaist Religion to Create Happiness for All Humanity and for Peace on this 68th Planet Commentary on Sermon Nineteen20 The Image of the Divine Mother on Earth Is the Image of Shiva; The Divine Extended Family of Each Individual Will Meet at Cung Diêu Trì Commentary on Sermon Twenty21 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-One22 The Philosophy of Civilization Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Two23 The Desire to Progress on the Path to the Eternal Life Is Limitless Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Three24 Our Sins Are Recorded by Our Own Perispirit; Therefore, There Is No Way We Can Deny Them Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Four25 The Phc-Linh Realm and How to Preach the Way Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Five26 The Method of Governing the Universe Lies in How We Govern Ourselves Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Six27 Our Arrival at the Cung Phc Linh and the Secret Dharma That Liberates the Self Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Seven28 Linh Tiêu din [The Ngc H Cung] and the Governing Body of the Supreme Being Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Eight29 The Difference Between the Process of Rising Through Heaven and the Process of Falling into the Dark Realms Commentary on Sermon Twenty-Nine30 The Paradise of Extreme Joy: Where We Are Temporarily Liberated; Although This is Not the Ultimate Realm for Souls Commentary on Sermon Thirty31 The Supreme Being Preserves Our Divine Extended Family Commentary on Sermon Thirty-One32 What Is a Drop of Holy Water? What Is the True Appearance of Nirvana? Commentary on Sermon Thirty-Two33 Few People Achieve a Position in Heaven Because Lucifer Blocks the Way Commentary on Sermon Thirty-Three34 The Hn-Ngn Thng Thiên Commentary on Sermon Thirty-Four35 Lôi Âm 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 Trn Van Rng Glossary Bibliography Index.