Phạm Công Tắc

Phạm Công Tắc was born on June 21, 1890 (ie, May 5 of year of the Tiger) in Binh Lap village, Chau Thanh district, Tan An province (now in Tan An city, Long An province). He is the 7th child in a family of 8 children.

His father is Mr. Pham Cong Thien, a colonial government official, born in An Hoa village, Trang Bang district, Tay Ninh province. His mother is La Thi Duong, also from An Hoa village.

In 1896, he started attending primary school in Tan An, where his father worked, but then his father quit his job and brought the whole family back to his hometown. He was baptized at Tay Ninh church in 1900. Two years later, his father died. Although his family was very difficult, in 1906, Pham Cong Tac continued to study at Chasseloup-Laubat School in Saigon. In 1907, he passed the Citadel degree.

During high school, Pham Cong Tac actively participated in the Dong Du movement in Saigon led by two Mr. Gilbert Tran Chanh Chieu and Duong Khac Ninh. In 1908, he was prepared to be sent abroad by Minh Tan Association, an organization that initiated the Dong Du movement; But then, it was revealed that he couldn't go. Due to the attention of the government, he had to drop out of school.

Due to his general qualifications, Pham Cong Tac is recognized as a merchant. During this time, he collaborated with newspapers such as Cong An, La Cloche Fêlée by Nguyen An Ninh, La Voix Libre (Voice of Freedom), Luc Tinh Tan Van by Pierre Jeantet, and Mr. Gilbert Chieu. as editor... under the pseudonym Ai Dan. These are newspapers that more or less promote the national spirit, so they become thorns in the eyes of the colonial government. After Mr. Gilbert Chieu was arrested, the publication was suspended, and he returned to his hometown.

In 1910, the family fell into poverty, so Pham Cong Tac had to apply for a job at the Saigon Department of Commerce. After getting a job, he married Mrs. Nguyen Huong Many. They had 3 children together (1 son, 2 girls) but the son died early when he was 4 years old. Although he is a public employee, his family is still struggling because of a poor lifestyle

Because of his position, Pham Cong Tac was transferred to many places, first to Cai Nhum (Vinh Long), Quy Nhon, then to Saigon, and finally to Nam Vang (Phnom Penh). During his time as a civil servant for the French colonial government, he held only a low-level position as secretary of the Department of Commerce.

With Mr. Vuong Quang Ky's contact, there was a reciprocal relationship between the muscle groups. On February 21, 1926 (January 9 ), in the year of the Tiger, in a planchette writing session at Mr. Ky's house, famous figures of planchette writing groups were invited to attend, a poem was circulated as follows: The destiny of God, including the names of 13 people, was later proclaimed by Cao Dai followers as the first followers of the religion, with Mr. Ngo Van Chieu being honored as Big Brother.

At a ceremony on April 17, 1926 (March 6 in the Year of the Tiger) at Tu Lam Tu, Pham Cong Tac, along with Mr. Le Van Trung , Cao Quynh Cu and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hieu, received the standard promotion. He was converted into a religious uniform to confer Mr. Ngo Van Chieu. However, Mr. Chieu refused and returned the money to sew this costume. Since then, he has not participated in any popularizing activities, but only selected a small number of his own followers to practice according to the way of the inner teachings. split into a separate sect, forming the Cao Dai Chieu Minh sect.

The formation of the Church did not stop there. From April 22 to 26, 1926, during planchette writing meetings, key believers were ordained to high positions to form the church, including:

Ông Lê Văn Trung phong Đầu sư Thượng Trung Nhựt.

Ông Lê Văn Lịch phong Đầu sư Ngọc Lịch Nguyệt.

Ông Phạm Công Tắc phong Hộ giá Tiên đồng Tá cơ Đạo sĩ

Ông Cao Quỳnh Cư phong Tiên Hạc Tá cơ Đạo sĩ

Các ông Trương Hữu Đức và Nguyễn Trung Hậu phong Tiên Hạc Phò cơ Đạo sĩ

Ông Vương Quang Kỳ phong Tiên Sắc Lang Quân nhậm Thuyết Đạo Giáo sư

Ông Đoàn Văn Bản phong Tiên Đạo Công Thần nhậm Thuyết Đạo Giáo sư.

Thus, in the organization of the original Church, the position of the Patriarch, the Master, the Taoist Ta Co, the Pho Co, and the Professor was formed. Because Mr. Chieu refused the Catholic throne, the leadership role was taken by the two gurus Le Van Trung and Le Van Lich.

At that time, the titles of Dharma Protector, Senior High, and Thuong Sanh were not officially ordained at that time, but only through the positions of standing ceremony, later formed high-ranking positions in Hiep Thien Dai.

"The children are: Nghia, Hau, Duc, Trang, Cu, Tac, Sang, all dressed in white, in order to follow this class: Nghia, Duc stand outside, are at the altar of Dharma protector, then Hau and Trang stand. the next couple, then the last three: Middle, Cu face, Left."

From these first dignitaries, the church gradually developed into 6 Ouija boards in Cochinchina, gaining more followers. On September 29, 1926 (August 23 in the year of the Tiger), he and 246 followers set up a sheet of martyrdom (the list of believers). In the Declaration of Enlightenment sent to the Governor of Cochinchina Le Pol on October 7, 1926 (ie September 1), his name ranked 18th among 28 fellow believers who signed the declaration. Then the followers divided into 3 groups to go to Cochinchina in Luc province.

In 1927, the French colonial government moved him to Nam Vang (Phnom Penh). Here, as a Colonel, he recruited a number of believers and ordained according to his pen, thereby forming the Overseas Missionary Service to evangelize abroad. Among the first dignitaries of the Pagan Church, some became influential figures later on, such as Receptionist Cao Duc Trong, Professor Thuong Chu Thanh (Dang Trung Chu) and advisor to the Western Provincial Resistance Committee. Ninh, Coordinator Thuong Vinh Thanh (Tran Quang Vinh) Commander-in-Chief of the Cao Dai army... Due to his active activities and the Pagan Church, which influenced a number of French intellectuals and officials, May In February 1932, the French National Assembly approved for Cao Dai followers to enjoy freedom of religion throughout Indochina.

In 1925, Tắc and two colleagues (Cao Quynh Cu and Cao Hoai Sang) tried to contact spiritual entities. Using table-tapping, they supposedly got messages: from their deceased relatives first, then from saints, and then from God. They all were admitted to be God's first disciples in the Third Religious Amnesty.

Caodaism believes that on 25 April 1926, eighteen mediums, including Tắc, were chosen by God to spread his teachings and carry out his instructions. Tắc wrote the Cao Đài Religious Constitution and scriptures currently worshipped by Caodaiists. He was promoted to Hộ Pháp, one of the top-ranking posts of the clergy.

In 1927, Tắc was transferred to Cambodia by the colonial government; he took the opportunity to establish Cao Đài Foreign Missions.

After acting Pope Lê Văn Trung's death, he became the religious head and established a number of other religious organs.

Tắc gave the order to begin the construction of the Tây Ninh Holy See and later officiated the inauguration. Other buildings and houses were set up under his supervision, including the Temple of Intuition, the Temple of Enlightenment, Long Hoa Market, the Temple of Acknowledgement, and the Temple of the Goddess. Others were planned for more favorable conditions such as the Temple of Thousands of Dharma, the Main Entrance Avenue, and Cao Đài University which have not been started as of 2007.

Tắc was also a missionary; he gave speeches on the Holy Never Pathway and Esoteric Practice which were shorthanded by stenographers and published in 1970.

It is believed that Hộ Pháp Phạm Công Tắc was taught how to practice esoterism by God. He established the first meditation house, the Temple of Intuition, and entered for the first esoteric performance. However, there has been no evidence that he taught someone else to do so. He was the only Cao Đài leader who preached esoteric and exoteric practices of Caodaism.

• Life and work of His Holiness Pham Cong Tac
• Biography of His Holiness PCT by His Holiness Thuong Sanh
• The Divine Path to Eternal Life
• Chân dung Hộ Pháp Phạm Công Tắc – Trần văn Rạng – 1974
• Lời thuyết Đạo của Hộ Pháp Phạm Công Tắc –– Tài liệu Tòa Thánh Tây Ninh – 1973

• Bí Pháp – Tài liệu Tòa Thánh Tây Ninh- 1973

• Con Đường Thiêng Liêng Hằng Sống – Tài liệu Tòa Thánh Tây Ninh - 1973
• Đại Đạo Sử Cương – Trần văn Rạng – 1972
• Đại Thừa Chơn Giáo – Chiếu Minh – 1956
• Bí Pháp Luyện Đạo – Bát Nương Diêu trì Cung – Bản Thảo.
• Tự Điển Cao Đài – Nguyễn văn Hồng