ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Samsara (Buddhism)

Samsara is like a never-ending circle of life and death in Buddhism. Imagine a Ferris wheel that just keeps going around and around. In Samsara, people are born, live, grow old and die, and then they are reborn as someone or something else. Just like how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, people can become animals or even gods when they die and get reborn.

But here’s the catch, in Samsara, people experience suffering, because nothing lasts forever. When you get something really cool like a toy, and then it breaks, it feels bad. That feeling of badness is suffering. So, even if you become a god, that feeling of suffering will still be there.

The good news is that there is a way to get out of this cycle, and it is by following the path of Buddhism. Buddhists believe that by meditating, being kind to others, and following the teachings of Buddha, they can become enlightened, which means understanding the way that things really are. When someone becomes enlightened, they can break free from the cycle of Samsara and go to a place called Nirvana (which is like a very peaceful and happy place).

So, in summary, Samsara is like a never-ending circle of life, where people are born, live, grow old and die, and then get reborn again. But since everything in this cycle is temporary, it’s a little bit sad or painful. However, by following Buddhism, people can work towards getting out of this cycle and create a world of happiness by reaching Nirvana.