Cao Dai, Religion of Unity: Out of Many One [Paperback]

H. D. Bui (Author), Nagasha Beck (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Emerald Wave (February 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0942531477
• ISBN-13: 978-0942531473
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,192,110 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Book on Fascinating Religion!, April 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Cao Dai, Religion of Unity: Out of Many One (Paperback)

This beautiful book provides a wide background on the basic ideas of the religion of CaoDai, including meditation techniques and spiritual practices, from CaoDai Overseas representatives Hum D. Bui and Ngasha Beck. This is an excellent first book of this pacifist religion founded in a country known, unfortunately, for its own struggles against violence and hate. Truly inspiring, and a contribution to world reconciliation and peace!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An unusual syncretic religion well explained, February 20, 2005

By 

J. Hoskins "ssv" (Santa Monica, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cao Dai, Religion of Unity: Out of Many One (Paperback)

Dr. Bui is the first Vietnamese-American to try to explain the tenets of his new syncretistic religion to the wider English reading public, and he was written this along with an American disciple, Ngasha Beck. Their account is clear and sets out may aspects of this spiritist religion, born in French Indochina in 1926 and brought to the United States by Vietnamese refugees forced to flee their homeland after 1975. Caodaism preached gender equality, racial harmony and religious tolerance in the early 20th century, and the religion has had a long history of persecution by the French, the Diem government and the present communist regime. Its disciples have endured exile, re-education camps, government censorship and many restrictions, but have courageously rebuilt their religion in a new land. Much of Caodaist philosophy is reminiscent of other more recent efforts to blend Buddhism and Christianity (like Thich Nhat Hahn), and many of its teachings (reincarnation, meditation, self-correction and vegetarianism) are now familiar parts of New Age spirituality. But Vietnam's tragic history has put in a unique place to offer lessons in peace to the world, and until now these lessons were not available to the general public.