1. Serving in the "Cuu Trung Dai"  

If you aspire to become a member of the Executive Board, you can hold the following titles:

• Follower
• Sub-dignitary
• Student Priest
• Priest
• Bishop
• Archbishop
• Cardinal
• Censor Cardinal
• CaoDai Pope

It's crucial to note that the authority of the CaoDai Pope is distinct from that of the Catholic Pope in the Roman Church.

While the translated titles suggest a rough equivalence in rank, there are substantial differences between a "Giao-Huu" and what one might initially understand as a "CaoDai Priest".

As per the current religious laws of CaoDaism, to attain the rank of sub-dignitary, a follower must be selected through a village-wide vote.

Naturally, the individual must also prove their worthiness by adhering to Church laws and exhibiting good conduct. There are three titles within the sub-dignitary rank:

• "Chanh Tri Su" also known as Chief of a religious village.
• "Pho Tri Su" which translates to Deputy Chief for Administration.
• "Thong Su" serving as Commissioner of Justice in a religious village.

A Chief of a religious village may have multiple vice-Chiefs and Commissioners of Justice under their jurisdiction. In such cases, each vice-Chief and Commissioner is responsible for specific hamlets.

The "Chanh Tri Su" or Chief of a CaoDai religious village, may also be referred to as the "small Dau-Su", representing the authority of the CaoDai Cardinal at the village level.

The "Pho Tri Su" or "small Giao Tong" represents the Pope's authority at the village level, while the "Thong Su" or "Small Ho Phap" represents the Ho Phap's authority within the village.

Both Deputy Chiefs and Commissioners of Justice hold equal rank and are responsible for assisting the village Chief. After fulfilling their duties for five years, a Chief may ascend to the rank of Student-Priest.

The number of CaoDai Student-Priests is unrestricted, and they can progress to the rank of Priest after five years of dedicated service.

However, the total number of active CaoDai Priests is capped at 3,000, distributed across three branches:

• "Phai Thai": the branch of Buddha, donning yellow robes, with 1,000 Priests.
• "Phai Thuong": the branch of Lao Tzu, attired in sky-blue robes, with 1,000 Priests.
• "Phai Ngoc": the branch of Confucius, wearing red robes and also comprising 1,000 Priests.

This numerical limit was confirmed by God through the "Phap Chanh Truyen" or the "Everlasting Constitution of CaoDaism".

It is inviolable by human intervention and includes only active dignitaries, excluding those who have retired or been dismissed.

The Priest holds the lowest rank within the hierarchy that entitles one to be considered a member of the Sacerdotal, or the body of God.

A Priest can ascend to higher ranks, eventually reaching the pinnacle of the Executive Board, which is the CaoDai Pope. The numerical limits for the higher ranks are as follows:

• Bishops: 72 in total, with 24 for each branch.
• Archbishops: 36 in total, with 12 for each branch (including 3 Principal Archbishops, one per branch).
• Cardinals: 3 in total, one for each branch.
• Censor Cardinals: 3 in total, one for each branch.
• Pope: There is only one Giao-Tong (Pope) who leads the "Cuu Trung Dai."

These limitations do not apply to nuns. Female dignitaries cannot attain the positions of Pope or Censor Cardinal, with Cardinal being the highest title for a CaoDai nun.

Therefore, a female follower can ascend from a simple follower through all ranks to attain the title of Cardinal, with an unlimited number of followers in each rank.

In general, nearly all titles within the CaoDai hierarchy are subject to selection by popular vote. To advance to a higher rank, a dignitary must fulfill specific duties unique to each rank for a predetermined period, typically five years.

Furthermore, they must await a vacancy in the positions of the higher rank. For instance, if the maximum number of active CaoDai Archbishops in the Confucius branch is set at 12, as determined by the "Phap Chanh Truyen", a Bishop from the Confucius branch must wait until an Archbishop (from the Confucius branch) vacates their position before being eligible for elevation to Archbishop through an election.

There is an exception for the rank of Principal Archbishop, which includes three offices, and individuals for these positions are appointed by the "Giao Tong".

The election of CaoDai dignitaries is conducted within each branch. For instance, all Student-Priests nominate worthy candidates to become Priests, and all Priests nominate worthy candidates for Bishops.

However, there is an exception when it comes to selecting the "Giao Tong", who must be elected by all followers and can be chosen from dignitaries occupying the ranks of Censor Cardinal and Cardinal.

To summarize the method of selecting dignitaries of the Executive Body by popular vote, it is based on the guidelines outlined in the religious texts "Tan Luat" and "Phap Chanh Truyen".

However, at present, when choosing a dignitary for a higher echelon, the Church involves not only dignitaries of the same rank but also consults the Popular Council, the Sacerdotal Council, the High Council, and ultimately seeks the Supreme decision of the Divine Authority through communication when choosing a dignitary for a higher echelon.

Currently, there is a shortage of dignitaries for each echelon, as limited by the "Phap Chanh Truyen".

In the early stages of the religion's foundation, many dignitaries were appointed by God. To this day, there are exceptions, wherein certain dignitaries attain higher ranks not through voting but via appointment by the Divine Authority, conveyed through messages received during a communication facilitated by the "co but".

This process occurs in an area directly in front of God's altar at the CaoDai main Holy Temple in the Tay Ninh Holy See.

It is worth noting that all visible titles of dignitaries in the CaoDai Sacerdotal are considered equivalent to the ranks of angels, saints, and Buddha in the invisible world — comprising all orders of Holy Spirits.

Nevertheless, upon a soul's departure from its temporal body, earthly titles, echelons, and distinctions lose their significance. The term "divine rank" as frequently used by CaoDaists, merely denotes the level of a soul's evolution.

For a comprehensive understanding of the duties and services associated with dignitaries in each echelon, we recommend referring to the following books:

• "Pham Chanh Truyen" (The Everlasting Constitution of CaoDaism),
• "Tan Luat" (The New Law), and
• "Dao Luat nam Mau Dan" (The Religious Law of the Year of the Tiger 1938).