The Wheel of Six Realms: How to Escape Samsara Through Pure Land Practice

How to Escape the Wheel of Six Realms

In Buddhism, the Wheel of Six Realms (六道轮回图) vividly depicts the endless cycle of birth and death (Samsara, 轮回). This wheel is powered by karma and delusion, binding sentient beings to a life of repeated suffering. The Buddha taught that our soul (consciousness) doesn’t die with the body—just like changing clothes, the soul takes on a new form based on past karma.

Master Chin Kung emphasized:
“As long as we don’t remove greed (贪), anger (嗔), ignorance (痴), attachments (执着), and delusions (妄想), we will never escape the Wheel of Samsara.”

There is no guarantee that we will be reborn as humans in the next life. Negative karma leads to rebirth in lower realms—and unimaginable suffering.

What Is the Wheel of Six Realms?

The Wheel of Six Realms is typically shown as a giant wheel held by Yama (阎罗王, the Lord of Death), symbolizing how sentient beings are trapped in Samsara, endlessly rotating through different realms of existence.

The Center of the Wheel: The Three Poisons (三毒)

At the center of the wheel are three symbolic animals:

Rooster (Greed, 贪) – Always craving, never satisfied.
Snake (Anger, 嗔) – Filled with hatred and resentment.
Pig (Ignorance, 痴) – Blind to truth, bound by delusion.

These three poisons drive the wheel, binding us to rebirth.

The Second Layer: Karma and Rebirth (善恶轮)

This layer shows beings rising or falling based on karma:

White Path (上升道) → Leads to heavens and human realms (good karma).
Black Path (堕落道) → Leads to lower realms (bad karma).

The Outer Layer: The Six Realms of Rebirth (六道)

Each of the Six Realms reflects the quality of one’s past actions:

Heavenly Beings (天道) – Blissful lives, but impermanent.

Humans (人道) – Best opportunity for cultivation and liberation.

Asuras (阿修罗道) – Strong and proud, but consumed by jealousy.

Animals (畜生道) – Lives of ignorance and suffering.

Hungry Ghosts (饿鬼道) – Endless craving, unfulfilled desire.

Hell Beings (地狱道) – Extreme suffering, born of severe karma.

The Outer Rim: The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination (十二因缘)

These twelve links explain how ignorance gives rise to karma, leading to endless cycles of rebirth. Without wisdom, beings are trapped in Samsara forever.

Rebirth as a Human Is Not Guaranteed

Many people mistakenly believe they’ll always be reborn as humans. But according to Buddhism, this is a dangerous illusion. Rebirth depends entirely on karma.

If we create negative karma, we can fall into:

Animal realm – Losing intelligence and freedom.
Hungry ghost realm – Overwhelmed by desire and starvation.
Hell realm – Long-lasting, agonizing torment.

Master Chin Kung said:
“The human body is hard to obtain. If we waste this life in greed, anger, and ignorance, we may never have another chance to practice the Dharma.”

Falling into the lower realms is easy. Climbing out is incredibly hard.

The Endless Suffering Within the Wheel of Samsara

The Buddha taught that as long as we remain inside the Wheel of Six Realms, we will experience continuous suffering:

We are born → we age → we get sick → we die.
Then the cycle begins again in another form.

We’ve gone through countless lives:

As animals, blindly following instinct.
As hungry ghosts, chasing unquenchable cravings.
As humans, wasting our chance in material desire.

Master Chin Kung reminded us:
“The only way to escape suffering is to stop creating bad karma and sincerely seek rebirth in the Pure Land.”

How to Escape the Wheel of Six Realms?

To escape Samsara, we must cut the root of rebirth—delusion, greed, anger, and attachment.

1. Chant “Amitabha Buddha” (阿弥陀佛)

Amitabha Buddha made 48 great vows to save all beings from Samsara.
By chanting His name sincerely, we can be reborn in the Pure Land.
In the Pure Land, we are no longer subject to the Six Realms.

2. Follow the Five Precepts and Ten Virtues (五戒十善)

Live ethically, avoid creating new bad karma.
Precepts include not killing, stealing, lying, committing sexual misconduct, or using intoxicants.

3. Let Go of Attachments (放下执着)

Material things, status, relationships—none of them follow us after death.
The more attached we are, the more trapped we become.

4. Cultivate Great Compassion (修慈悲心)

Help others, practice generosity, and protect all beings.
Compassion purifies the heart and brings peace.

5. Seek Rebirth in the Pure Land (求生净土)

The Western Pure Land (极乐世界) is a realm free from suffering and guaranteed enlightenment.
It is permanent, unlike the heaven realm, and leads directly to Buddhahood.

Conclusion: You Can Break Free from the Wheel of Samsara

“The biggest mistake is thinking we will always be reborn as humans. Once we fall into the lower realms, we may be trapped for countless lifetimes.”
— Master Chin Kung

The good news: you still have a choice.

If you chant Amitabha’s name with sincerity,
If you let go of your attachments,
If you live with compassion and virtue—

You can escape the Wheel of Six Realms and be reborn in the Pure Land.

Don’t wait until your next life. The door is open now. Step out of the wheel and into liberation.

Samsara 2: The Wheel of Six Realms: Why Life’s Struggles Never end – Until You Break Free