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Reincarnation / Transmigration of Souls
lún huí
rin ne
輪回 is a universal word in Japanese and Chinese that expresses the Buddhist idea of “reincarnation,” “transmigration of souls,” or “the eternal cycle of birth and death.”
In some contexts, this can also mean “karma,” and others will say it represents “samsara.”
The first character means wheel, ring, turn, circle, loop, or rotate.
The second character can be thought of as a suffix meaning “-times.” This second character can also refer to something that revolves, returns, goes back, or is a counter of the number of occurrences of some event.
Together the sum supersedes the parts, and it means reincarnation. But knowing the essence of each character may help you understand some of the meaning behind the word.
Shown to the right is the more common way to write the second character in Japanese.
it’s
an alternate form of this character in Chinese (so neither way is technically wrong in either language). If you select a Japanese calligrapher, expect that is will look like the Kanji to the right.
Samsara / Endless Cycle of Rebirth
輪廻 is one of a few ways to express संसार or Saṃsāra in Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean.
The Buddhist term can be translated in several ways, including:
An endless cycle of death and rebirth.
The turning of the wheel.
To revolve.
Transmigration in six ways.
The wheel of transmigration.
The round of existence.
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Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your samsara search...
| Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese |
Pronunciation Romanization |
Simple Dictionary Definition |
輪廻 轮廻 see styles |
lún huí lun2 hui2 lun hui rinne りんね |
More info & calligraphy: Samsara / Endless Cycle of Rebirth輪轉 saṃsāra, the turning of the wheel, to revolve, i.e. transmigration in the six ways, the wheel of transmigration; the round of existence. |
三乘 see styles |
sān shèng san1 sheng4 san sheng minori みのり |
(surname) Minori Triyāna, the three vehicles, or conveyances which carry living beings across saṁsāra or mortality (births-and-deaths) to the shores of nirvāṇa. The three are styled 小,中, and 大. Sometimes the three vehicles are defined as 聲聞 Śrāvaka, that of the hearer or obedient disciple; 緣覺Pratyeka-buddha, that of the enlightened for self; these are described as 小乘 because the objective of both is personal salvation; the third is 菩薩Bodhisattva, or 大乘 Mahāyāna, because the objective is the salvation of all the living. The three are also depicted as 三車 three wains, drawn by a goat, a deer, an ox. The Lotus declares that the three are really the One Buddha-vehicle, which has been revealed in three expedient forms suited to his disciples' capacity, the Lotus Sūtra being the unifying, complete, and final exposition. The Three Vehicles are differently explained by different exponents, e.g. (1) Mahāyāna recognizes (a) Śrāvaka, called Hīnayāna, leading in longer or shorter periods to arhatship; (b) Pratyeka-buddha, called Madhyamayāna, leading after still longer or shorter periods to a Buddhahood ascetically attained and for self; (c) Bodhisattva, called Mahayana, leading after countless ages of self-sacrifce in saving others and progressive enlightenment to ultimate Buddhahood. (2) Hīnayāna is also described as possessing three vehicles 聲, 緣, 菩 or 小, 中, 大, the 小 and 中 conveying to personal salvation their devotees in ascetic dust and ashes and mental annihilation, the 大 leading to bodhi, or perfect enlightenment, and the Buddha's way. Further definitions of the Triyāna are: (3) True bodhisattva teaching for the 大; pratyeka-buddha without ignorant asceticism for the 中; and śrāvaka with ignorant asceticism for the 小. (4) (a) 一乘 The One-Vehicle which carries all to Buddhahood: of this the 華嚴 Hua-yen and 法華 Fa-hua are typical exponents; (b) 三乘法 the three-vehicle, containing practitioners of all three systems, as expounded in books of the 深密般若; (c) 小乘 the Hīnayāna pure and simple as seen in the 四阿合經 Four Āgamas. Śrāvakas are also described as hearers of the Four Truths and limited to that degree of development; they hear from the pratyeka-buddhas, who are enlightened in the Twelve Nidānas 因緣; the bodhisattvas make the 六度 or six forms of transmigration their field of sacrificial saving work, and of enlightenment. The Lotus Sūtra really treats the 三乘. Three Vehicles as 方便 or expedient ways, and offers a 佛乘 Buddha Vehicle as the inclusive and final vehicle. |
三車 三车 see styles |
sān chē san1 che1 san ch`e san che sansha |
triyāna. 三乘 or 三乘法門 (1) The three vehicles across saṃsāra into nirvāṇa, i.e. the carts offered by the father in the Lotus Sutra to lure his children out of the burning house: (a) goat carts, representing śrāvakas; (b) deer carts, pratyekabuddhas; (c) bullock carts, bodhisattvas. (2) The three principal schools of Buddhism— Hīnayāna, Madhyamayāna, Mahāyāna. |
六度 see styles |
liù dù liu4 du4 liu tu rokudo ろくど |
(surname) Rokudo The six things that ferry one beyond the sea of mortality to nirvana, i. e. the six pāramitās 波羅蜜 (波羅蜜多): (1) 布施 dāna, charity, or giving, including the bestowing of the truth on others; (2) 持戒 śīla, keeping the command rents; (3) 忍辱 kṣānti, patience under insult; (4) 精進 vīrya, zeal and progress; (5) 闡定 dhyāna, meditation or contemplation; (6) 智慧 prajñā; wisdom, the power to discern reality or truth. It is the last that carries across the saṃsāra (sea of incarnate life) to the shores of nirvana. The opposites of these virtues are meanness, wickedness, anger, sloth, a distracted mind, and ignorance. The 唯識論 adds four other pāramitās: (7) 方便 upāya, the use of appropriate means; (8) 願 praṇidhāna, pious vows; (9) 力 bala, power of fulfillment; (10) 智 jñāna knowledge. |
厭欣 厌欣 see styles |
yàn xīn yan4 xin1 yen hsin engon |
Disgusted with, or rejoicing in. |
彼岸 see styles |
bǐ àn bi3 an4 pi an higan ひがん |
the other shore; (Buddhism) paramita (1) equinoctial week (when Buddhist services are held); (2) (abbreviation) (See 彼岸会) Buddhist services during the equinoctial week; (3) {Buddh} (See 此岸) nirvana; (4) (form) opposite bank; opposite shore; shore on the other side 波羅 parā, yonder shore i. e. nirvāṇa. The saṃsāra life of reincarnation is 此岸 this shore; the stream of karma is 中流 the stream between the one shore and the other. Metaphor for an end to any affair. pāramitā (an incorrect etymology, no doubt old) is the way to reach the other shore.; The other shore; nirvāṇa. |
流轉 流转 see styles |
liú zhuǎn liu2 zhuan3 liu chuan ruten |
to be on the move; to roam or wander; to circulate (of goods or capital) saṃsāra, transmigration, flowing and returning, flowing back again. |
生死 see styles |
shēng sǐ sheng1 si3 sheng ssu seishi(p); shouji; shoushi / seshi(p); shoji; shoshi せいし(P); しょうじ; しょうし |
life or death (1) life and death; life or death; (2) (しょうじ, しょうし only) {Buddh} samsara (cycle of death and rebirth); (3) (しょうじ, しょうし only) death saṃsāra: birth and death: rebirth and redeath; life and death; 生死, 死生; 生生死死 ever-recurring saṃsāra or transmigrations; the round of mortality. There are two, three, four, seven, and twelve kinds of 生死; the two are 分斷生死 the various karmaic transmigrations, and 不思義變易生死 (or simply 變易生死) the inconceivable transformation life in the Pure Land. Among the twelve are final separation from mortality of the arhat, with 無餘 no remains of it causing return; one final death and no rebirth of the anāgāmin; the seven advancing rebirths of the srota-āpanna; down to the births-cum-deaths of hungry ghosts. |
破有 see styles |
pò yǒu po4 you3 p`o yu po yu hau |
To refute the belief in the reality of things; to break the power of transmigration as does the Buddha. |
輪回 轮回 see styles |
lún huí lun2 hui2 lun hui meguru めぐる |
variant of 輪迴|轮回[lun2 hui2] (irregular kanji usage) (noun/participle) (Buddhist term) samsara; endless cycle of death and rebirth; (female given name) Meguru |
逆流 see styles |
nì liú ni4 liu2 ni liu gyakuryuu / gyakuryu ぎゃくりゅう |
against the stream; adverse current; a countercurrent; fig. reactionary tendency; to go against the trend (n,vs,vi,adj-no) counter-current; adverse tide; regurgitation (of blood) To go against the current, i.e. the stream of transmigration, and enter the path of Nirvana, also called 預流, the srota-āpanna, or śrāvaka first stage. |
道俗 see styles |
dào sú dao4 su2 tao su douzoku / dozoku どうぞく |
monks and laity Monks and laymen. |
順流 顺流 see styles |
shùn liú shun4 liu2 shun liu |
Going with the stream, i.e. of transmigration, custom, etc. |
僵娑洛 see styles |
jiāng suō luò jiang1 suo1 luo4 chiang so lo sōsharaku |
saṃsāra, course, transmigration, v. 散 and 生死. |
反流位 see styles |
fǎn liú wèi fan3 liu2 wei4 fan liu wei honru i |
a position from which one is acting counter to the flow of saṃsāra |
散拓羅 see styles |
sàn tà luō san4 ta4 luo1 san t`a lo san ta lo |
saṃsāra, course, passage, transmigration. |
有漏道 see styles |
yǒu lòu dào you3 lou4 dao4 yu lou tao uro dō |
(or 有漏路) The way of mortal saṃsāra, in contrast with 無漏道 that of nirvāṇa. |
逆流道 see styles |
nì liú dào ni4 liu2 dao4 ni liu tao gyakuru dō |
path of reversing the flow (of saṃsāra) |
隨流事 随流事 see styles |
suí liú shì sui2 liu2 shi4 sui liu shih zuiru ji |
situations, events, etc., that go along with the flow of saṃsāra |
隨流位 随流位 see styles |
suí liú wèi sui2 liu2 wei4 sui liu wei zuiru i |
from the perspective of going along with the flow of saṃsāra |
順流舟 see styles |
shùn liú zhōu shun4 liu2 zhou1 shun liu chou |
(saṃsāra, like a) boat that flows with the current |
九縛一脫 九缚一脱 see styles |
jiǔ fú yī tuō jiu3 fu2 yi1 tuo1 chiu fu i t`o chiu fu i to ku baku ichi datsu |
The nine states of bondage and the one state of liberation. The nine states are the hells of fire, of blood, of swords; asuras, men, devas, māras, nirgranthas, form and formless states; these are all saṃsāra states, i.e. of reincarnation. The one state of freedom, or for obtaining freedom, is nirvāṇa. |
二種生死 二种生死 see styles |
èr zhǒng shēng sǐ er4 zhong3 sheng1 si3 erh chung sheng ssu nishu shōji |
two kinds of saṃsāra |
內外塵沙 内外尘沙 see styles |
nèi wài chén shā nei4 wai4 chen2 sha1 nei wai ch`en sha nei wai chen sha naige jinja |
the innumerable details in and out of saṃsāra |
分段生死 see styles |
fēn duàn shēng sǐ fen1 duan4 sheng1 si3 fen tuan sheng ssu bundan shōji |
分段死, 分段身, 分段三道 all refer to the mortal lot, or dispensation in regard to the various forms of reincarnation. |
反出生死 see styles |
fǎn chū shēng sǐ fan3 chu1 sheng1 si3 fan ch`u sheng ssu fan chu sheng ssu honshutsu shōji |
One of the seven kinds of mortality, i. e. escape from it into nirvana. |
反流歸源 反流归源 see styles |
fǎn liú guī yuán fan3 liu2 gui1 yuan2 fan liu kuei yüan honru kigen |
to go against the flow of saṃsāra and return to the original fount of nirvāṇa, or enlightenment |
反流索源 see styles |
fǎn liú suǒ yuán fan3 liu2 suo3 yuan2 fan liu so yüan honnu sakugen |
to go against the flow of saṃsāra and return to the original fount of nirvāṇa, or enlightenment |
反流達源 反流达源 see styles |
fǎn liú dá yuán fan3 liu2 da2 yuan2 fan liu ta yüan honru datsugen |
to go against the flow of saṃsāra and return to the original fount of nirvāṇa, or enlightenment |
有爲生死 有为生死 see styles |
yǒu wéi shēng sǐ you3 wei2 sheng1 si3 yu wei sheng ssu ui shōji |
The mortal saṃsāra life of births and deaths, contrasted with 無爲生死 effortless mortality, e. g. transformation such as that of the Bodhisattva. |
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The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
| Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
| Reincarnation Transmigration of Souls | 輪回 / 輪廻 轮回 | rin ne / rinne | lún huí / lun2 hui2 / lun hui / lunhui | |
| Samsara Endless Cycle of Rebirth | 輪廻 轮廻 | rinne | lún huí / lun2 hui2 / lun hui / lunhui | |
| In some entries above you will see that characters have different versions above and below a line. In these cases, the characters above the line are Traditional Chinese, while the ones below are Simplified Chinese. | ||||
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