Saṃsāra is a Sanskrit word that means “wandering” as well as “world,” wherein the term connotes “cyclic change” or, less formally, “running around in circles.” In the context of Indian religions and philosophies, saṃsāra is the concept of all beings experiencing an ongoing cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

In Hindu Philosophy and some Indian religions, samskaras or sanskaras are mental impressions, recollections, or psychological imprints that colour one’s thoughts and actions, and form the basis for the development of karma theory. In Buddhism, the Sanskrit term saṃskāra is used to describe “mental formations,”