Samsara

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /sʌmˈsɑɹə/

Definitions

1. The endless cycle of existence involving birth, death, and rebirth is commonly portrayed in Eastern religions as a consequence of actions and desires
2. It refers to a repetitive progress through life stages that emphasizes suffering and the quest for enlightenment
3. The continuous cycle of life characterized by birth, death, and rebirth reflects the spiritual journey in many Eastern philosophies emphasizing karma and liberation from desires

Etymology: Sanskrit "saṃsāra" literally means "wandering through" or "passing through" a succession of states, built from "saṃ", meaning "together" or "completely", and "sāra", a word for "flow" or "course". In Indian religious thought the idea describes the endless round of birth, death and rebirth that every living being undergoes, driven by karma, and the goal of many traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, is to escape it. English borrowed the term directly from Sanskrit, so it kept its original sense of a continuous passage through lives rather than any notion of a single journey. Its spelling in English has settled on "samsara" with no diacritics, and it is used mostly in discussions of Indian religion and philosophy, where it names a central concept rather than a casual metaphor.

Synonyms: cycle of rebirth, reincarnation, transmigration, wheel of life, cycle of existence

Antonyms: moksha, nirvana, liberation, salvation, enlightenment