1.
reincarnation; transmigration of the soul; cycle of death and rebirth
The Buddhist and Hindu concept that the soul is reborn into a new body after death, continuing in an endless cycle until enlightenment is achieved.
輪廻転生を信じる。
To believe in reincarnation.
仏教では輪廻転生からの解脱を目指す。
In Buddhism, the goal is liberation from the cycle of reincarnation.
輪廻転生をテーマにしたアニメや小説は多い。
There are many anime and novels with reincarnation as a theme.
A four-character compound (四字熟語) composed of 輪廻 (samsara, cycle of rebirth) + 転生 (rebirth, reincarnation). A fundamental concept in Buddhism that has deeply influenced Japanese culture and appears frequently in literature, anime, and manga.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 輪廻転生を信じる: to believe in reincarnation
- 輪廻転生の思想: the concept of reincarnation
- 輪廻転生から解脱する: to be liberated from the cycle of rebirth
CULTURAL NOTE:
In modern Japanese popular culture, 転生 (reincarnation) has become a hugely popular genre in light novels and anime, known as 異世界転生 (isekai reincarnation), where characters are reborn in fantasy worlds.
RELATED TERMS:
- 輪廻: samsara, the cycle of rebirth — the shorter form
- 転生: rebirth, reincarnation — can be used alone
- 来世: the next life, afterlife
- 前世: previous life