chầu phật
Definition
- Verb (Buddhist terminology):
- To pass away / to die: A respectful and euphemistic term used by Vietnamese Buddhists to refer to the death of a person, particularly a devout Buddhist. It implies the soul departing to be in the presence of the Buddha.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Cụ ông đã chầu Phật vào sáng nay, hưởng thọ 95 tuổi. (The elderly gentleman passed away this morning, at the age of 95.)
- Sau một thời gian dài bệnh nặng, bà ấy đã thanh thản chầu Phật. (After a long period of serious illness, she peacefully passed away.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is used almost exclusively in obituaries, formal announcements, or respectful conversation within a Buddhist cultural context. It carries a connotation of peace, spiritual merit, and a positive rebirth.
Variants and Related Words
- Quy Tây (v): Another Buddhist euphemism for dying, meaning "to return to the Western Paradise" of Amitabha Buddha.
- Từ trần (v): A common, formal Vietnamese term for "to pass away," used in wider contexts beyond Buddhism.
- Lâm chung (v): To be in the final moments of life, to be dying.
Synonyms
- To pass away: A gentle, formal synonym for "to die."
- To depart this life: A euphemistic phrase for death.
Related Idioms
- Về cõi Phật: To return to the Buddha's realm. This phrase is conceptually identical and often used interchangeably with "chầu Phật."
- Nghe tin ông cụ đã về cõi Phật. (We heard the news that the old man has returned to the Buddha's realm.)