samsara

Samsara is a central concept in Indian religions, representing the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth to which all living beings are subjected.

Samsara, a Sanskrit term meaning "continuous flow," is a fundamental concept in Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. It represents the perpetual cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (reincarnation) to which all living beings are subjected. According to these traditions, existence in samsara is marked by suffering, illusion, and karma. Karma, the sum of an individual's actions, determines the conditions of their successive rebirths. Liberation from this cycle, known as moksha (in Hinduism and Jainism) or nirvana (in Buddhism), is the ultimate goal of spiritual life. Adherents seek to accumulate good karma and practice spiritual discipline to free themselves from samsara and attain a state of eternal peace and liberation.