Samsara is the term used in Hinduism to describe the cycle of life.
It means ‘continuous existence’ and refers to the endless repetition of birth, death, and rebirth that we all must go through until we achieve nirvana or enlightenment.
*Nirvana =The state of being freed from the cycle of repeated rebirth.
Samsara isn’t just a concept in Hinduism; it’s also found in other religions like Buddhism and Jainism.
In this article, we would like to find out what Samsara means.
What does Samsara in Hinduism mean?
Samsara is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘continuous existence’.
It refers to the endless repetition of birth, death, and rebirth that we all must go through until we achieve nirvana or enlightenment.
Hinduism sees samsara as a cyclical process, in which souls are reborn according to their karma.
Karma is the idea that your deeds in the past determine your future.
If you do good deeds, you will be rewarded; if you do bad deeds, you will be punished.
Samsara is the concept that you are reincarnated into another life, based on your karma.
Samsara is different from reincarnation in that reincarnation is a specific concept within samsara.
While samsara is the ‘cycle of life’, reincarnation is just one moment within that cycle.
How is Samsara different from reincarnation?
Although samsara and reincarnation both explore the journey of life, they’re actually very different.
Reincarnation is a specific concept within samsara, the ‘cycle of life’.
Samsara is the endless repetition of birth, death, and rebirth that we all must go through until we achieve nirvana or enlightenment.
Reincarnation is just one moment within that cycle.
Samsara is the ‘cycle of life’, while reincarnation is a particular iteration within that cycle Samsara is the ‘cycle of life’, while reincarnation is a particular iteration within that cycle.
- Samsara explores concepts such as karma, the search for enlightenment, and the meaning of life.
- Reincarnation is just one very specific part of samsara.
The 6 stages of Samsara
The 6 stages of samsara are like the 6 stages of a butterfly’s life cycle.
They show us how someone’s life changes as they go through samsara.
The 6 stages of samsara are:
Birth
At the beginning of our lives, we are in the first stage of samsara.
We are the same as when we were in the womb: we don’t know anything, we’re not impure, and we don’t have any expectations in life.
Youth
When we are young, we are in the second stage of samsara.
We’re impure because we have desires and we have expectations.
Maturity
When we’re mature, we’re in the third stage of samsara.
We’re impure because we’re full of desire and expectations, but we realize we can’t always get what we want in life.
Decay
When we’re old, we’re in the fourth stage of samsara.
We’re impure because we’ve lost control over our desires and expectations.
Death
When we’re dead, we’re in the fifth stage of samsara.
We’re impure because our desires and expectations are gone.
Afterlife
When we’re in the sixth and final stage of samsara, we’re pure because we’re not impure anymore.
We’re enlightened.