Question 92: The Meaning of the Festival of the Feast at Diêu-Trì-Cung  

The Feast of Diêu-Trì-Cung is a special and important celebration in Caodaism. The ceremony is held annually on the evening of the full moon of the eighth lunar month, at the Temple of Đức Phật Mẫu in Tây Ninh.

The first celebration took place on the full moon of the eighth month of the year Ất Sửu (1925), at the private residence of Đức Cao Thượng Phẩm in Saigon, following the instructions of Đức Chí Tôn.

Explanation by Đức Hộ Pháp at the Cửu-Long Pavilion, on the afternoon of 15-8 Tân Mão (1951):

"All the children of Đức Chí Tôn know that in our practice, the ultimate purpose is one thing above all: to attain liberation, or to find the means to return to our original, Sacred State.

Phật Mẫu nurtures the eight classes of souls: material beings, plants, animals, humanity, spirits, saints, immortals, and Buddhas.

Within these eight classes of souls, appearing at the Golden Board (Kim Bàn) according to the Sacred Law established by Đức Chí Tôn, they must gradually progress. This law of progress obliges us in each lifetime to follow the path of cultivation, in order to achieve what?

To attain the Sacred Position.

Today, when He establishes the foundation of His True Teaching, we can behold the boundless love of His heart.

Let us reflect: no one teaches or guides us with authority greater than our Mother. That state, for the worldly aspect of us, is unimaginable; in the realm of the Ever-Living Sacred, Her power is perfect and without flaw.

Đức Chí Tôn established the Teaching, yet still there were those who did not come. He descended to teach, yet they did not understand. Many times, He incarnated to establish the Dao, yet 92 uc nguyen nhan remained blind and deaf, unaware of His infinite love, and thus unable to partake in the boundless joy He cultivated.

Therefore, Đức Chí Tôn entrusted Phật Mẫu.

Đức Chí Tôn gave Phật Mẫu the authority to gather all souls who, having attained the Law, naturally reach liberation, establishing their position in the Sacred Realm. Those who succeed must return to the Feast with Phật Mẫu.

The Festival of Diêu-Trì-Cung is called a “feast”, yet truly it is a reunion of joy with our Mother".

Thus, the Great Festival of the Feast carries profound significance:

•  It expresses the boundless, impartial love of Đức Mẹ for Her children, bestowing Sacred blessings upon them.

•  The Feast of Diêu-Trì-Cung is the day when Phật Mẫu administers the secret Law to liberate all beings, saving countless souls within the gates of Caodaism.

•  It is also the day that marks the manifestation of Caodaism into visible, tangible form.