world of suffering; this world of pain
Buddhist term for the earthly realm, characterized by suffering and delusion. Often used in religious or literary contexts.
life of prostitution; the demimonde
Historical euphemism for the world of prostitution, especially in the Edo period. Now rare and literary.
In Buddhism, this world is sometimes regarded as a world of suffering.
It was said that courtesans in the Edo period sank into a life of prostitution.
From Buddhist terminology, literally 'suffering world' (苦 'suffering' + 界 'world'). The prostitution sense is a metaphorical extension, likening the life of a courtesan to a world of suffering.