samsara

Literally meaning wandering, samsara refers to the ongoing cycle of birth, death, and rebirth driven by ignorance and karma. In Buddhist cosmology, samsara encompasses six realms of rebirth: gods (devas), titans (asuras), humans, animals, hungry ghosts (pretas), and hell beings. Human birth is considered especially valuable because it offers balanced conditions for practice. Liberation from samsara and its pervasive suffering is the ultimate aim of Buddhist practice.