Samsari - Soul Transmigration

Saṃsārī (संसारी, “empirical”,"transmigrating soul") refers to one of the two types of jīva (sentients, soul). The pure soul bonded with karmas. The empirical soul is the one that transmigrates and this process is illustrated by her body being emptied, and a butterfly coming out of her.

In this artwork the character is holding the moon in her hands (symbol for the mind). Her sorrow represents the worldly suffering of our attachment and karma, the pain itself of creation, preservation and destruction.

The moon represents the soul with mind (samanaska) while the butterfly a symbol of transformation and liberation, represents the soul without the mind (amanaska).

Two birds represent the capability of mobilities that the souls may have, mobile bodies (trasa) and stationery bodies (sthāvara).

The beauty of experiencing matter comes with blissful pain, the pain of change, of transformation. The transition between stages and worlds only to surrender to the unknown.

Samsari reminds us the nature of our temporal body and impermanence of our soul.