轮回
Samsara
Buddhism · conceptThe cycle of birth, death, and rebirth that all sentient beings traverse according to Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain cosmology. In Buddhism, samsara is characterized by dukkha (suffering, dissatisfaction, impermanence) and is driven by karma — the accumulated consequences of intentional actions. The cycle has no beginning and continues indefinitely unless one achieves liberation (nirvana) through the realization of wisdom and the cessation of craving. Samsara is not a place but a process — a continuous becoming sustained by ignorance of the true nature of reality.
Samsara is the continuous cycle of birth, death, and rebirth without beginning or end.
— Buddhist tradition
What Are the Key Facts About Samsara?
- Tradition: Buddhism
- Chinese: 轮回
- Category: Concept
- Definition: The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth that all sentient beings traverse according to Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain cosmology.
What Concepts Are Related to Samsara?
Karma 因果Frequently Asked Questions About Samsara
What is samsara?
Samsara is the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth in Indian traditions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism), driven by karma and characterized by dukkha (unsatisfactoriness) until liberation (nirvana) is attained.
How does samsara relate to karma?
Karma — intentional action — propels rebirth within samsara: wholesome acts incline toward better states, unwholesome toward worse, across lives.
What ends samsara?
In Buddhism, samsara ends with nirvana — the extinguishing of craving and ignorance — achieved through the Noble Eightfold Path; this release is called liberation (moksha in Hindu terms).
Is samsara only a Buddhist idea?
No. Samsara is shared by Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain traditions, though each defines the mechanism and the means of release differently.