Huynh Phu So is the Hoa Hao Buddhist founder who established doctrines and canon laws of religion at a young age. The religion he founded so far has nearly one million believers throughout the Southwest region. It has also spread to other provinces and cities in the country. His teachings are always remembered and applied by believers in their lives in order to build a compassionate, peaceful and prosperous society. Through bibliographic documents and fieldwork in the community, the article analyzes his genius to explain the birth of an endogenous religion with a large number of followers in the Southwest region today. Key words: Innate capacity Hoa Hao Buddhism, Huynh Phu So, doctrine, canon law

Dai Dao Tam Ky Pho Do [The Great Way of The Third Amnesty Era] (shortly Caodaism) is an indigenous religion established in southern Vietnam in the early 20th century. Being one of the new religions in the region, Caodaism has been constantly developing and attracting quite a great number of followers of over three million. The doctrine of Caodaism is a synthesis of the Three Religions, e.g. Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism together with elements from some other religions. The doctrine is not only shown in scriptures, religious structure, but also expressed through symbols in architecture, rituals and costumes. To a certain extent, it is thus essential to understand the symbolism of the Holy Temple – the most important one of the symbolism system so that we can fully comprehend Caodaism. The Temple is the most solemn and sacred place in Cao Dai Tay Ninh Holy See. It carries both philosophical and esoteric meanings as an emblem of cultural syncretism. The study of the Holy Temple symbol will elaborate further Caodaist doctrines in a relationship with the cultural context of the Southern region.