Chapter Two: Five Dream Similes Selected Lectures on the Sutra of the Meeting of Father and Son

Chapter Two: Five Dream Analogies

Original Text: O Great King, it is like a person who dreams of a dead snake, a dead dog, or a human corpse tied around his neck, and his mind becomes terrified. What do you think? When this person awakens and recalls what he saw in the dream, does it truly exist? The King said: No, it does not. The Buddha said: O Great King, if this person clings to what he dreamed as real, is he wise? The King said: No, World-Honored One. Why? Because ultimately, there is no dead snake or such thing in the dream. How could there be anything tied around the neck? It should be known that this person merely exhausts himself in vain, with nothing real.

Explanation: O Great King, just as a person dreams of a dead snake, dead dog, or human corpse tied around his neck and gives rise to fear, what is your view? After this person awakens, he keeps recalling the terrifying things seen in the dream. Were the things seen in the dream truly existent? King Śuddhodana said: They were not truly existent. The Buddha said: O Great King, this person clings to what he dreamed as real. Is he a wise person? King Śuddhodana said: He is not a wise person, World-Honored One. Why is this so? Because ultimately, there is no dead snake or dead dog in the dream. How could there be an event of tying dead snakes or dogs around the neck? This person merely toils his mind in vain, with no real substance.

Original Text: The Buddha said: O Great King, so it is, so it is. Foolish ordinary beings, upon seeing such foul and evil things, give rise to anger and slander, creating such karma: three bodily, four verbal, and three mental actions. After creating this karma, it perishes in an instant. This karma does not abide in the east, west, south, north, the four intermediate directions, above, below, or in between. At the final moment when the life faculty ceases, the karmic retribution of one's own deeds all manifests, just like recalling dreamt matters after awakening.

Explanation: The Buddha said: O Great King, it is indeed so. Foolish ordinary beings give rise to anger and destructive thoughts toward such foul and evil corpses, creating evil karma: three bodily, four verbal, and three mental actions. After creating these ten evil karmas, the karmic actions perish instantaneously, vanishing as they are created. After perishing, the karmic actions have nowhere to go; they do not abide in the east, south, west, north, the four intermediate directions, above, or below. When the life faculty ceases at the end, all the karmic retribution to be received in this present body fully manifests, just like recalling matters from a dream after awakening.

Original Text: O Great King, consciousness acts as the master; karma acts as the condition. These two serve as mutual causes. The initial consciousness arises, leading one to the hell realm, or causing one to fall among animals, the realm of Yama, or asuras, humans, or gods. Once the initial consciousness arises, each receives their retribution. The mental factors of the same type continuously follow and revolve. When the final consciousness ceases, it is called the dead aggregates. When the initial consciousness arises, it is called the living aggregates.

Explanation: O Great King, the ālaya-vijñāna is the master giving rise to the five aggregates of the next life; karmic seeds are the condition. With the union of this cause and condition, the initial consciousness of the next life arises. Sentient beings may proceed to the hell realm, fall into the ghost realm, or be reborn in the animal realm—the three evil destinies; or they may be reborn in the asura realm, human realm, or heavenly realm—the three good destinies. Once the initial consciousness arises, sentient beings begin to receive their respective karmic retribution. Then, the consciousness within the same physical body continuously operates without interruption. When the consciousness ceases at the end of life, the physical body becomes a corpse, called the dead aggregates. The initial consciousness arising in the physical body is called the initial consciousness; the five aggregates of the physical body are called the living aggregates.

Original Text: O Great King, there is not the slightest dharma that can pass from this world to the next world. Why? Because its nature is subject to arising and ceasing. O Great King, when bodily consciousness arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it goes nowhere. When that karma arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it goes nowhere. When the initial consciousness arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it goes nowhere. Why? Because its own nature is free from characteristics.

Explanation: The Buddha said: O Great King, not a single dharma can transfer from this life to the next life. Why is this said? Because the self-nature of all dharmas is constantly arising and ceasing; they are not permanent or abiding. When the five aggregates cease at the end of life, all dharmas will cease. O Great King, when bodily consciousness arises, it has no source; when it ceases, it has no destination. When creating karmic actions, the karmic actions have no source; when the karmic actions cease, they have no destination. When the initial consciousness of the next life arises, it has no source; when it ceases, it has no destination. Why do all dharmas have no source and no destination? Because all dharmas are free from all natures; the self-nature of all dharmas is without any characteristics; their intrinsic nature is empty and ultimately unobtainable.

Original Text: Knowing thus, bodily consciousness is empty of bodily consciousness; one's own karma is empty of one's own karma; the initial consciousness is empty of the initial consciousness. If ceasing, ceasing is empty; if arising, arising is empty. Knowing the operation of karma, there is no doer and no experiencer; there is only the nominal designation and conceptual manifestation.

Explanation: One should know bodily consciousness thus, knowing the self-nature of bodily consciousness is empty; know the karmic actions created by one's own consciousness thus, knowing the self-nature of karmic actions is empty; know the initial consciousness thus, knowing the self-nature of the initial consciousness is empty; know thus that if any dharma arises, its arising is empty; if any dharma ceases, its cessation is empty; simultaneously, know the creation and operation of karmic actions—there is no doer and no experiencer; all dharmas are merely illusory appearances and nominal conceptual manifestations.

Original Text: O Great King, it is like a person who dreams that a non-human severs his nose root. What do you think? After this person awakens and recalls the severing of the nose root in the dream, does it truly exist? The King said: No. The Buddha said: O Great King, if this person clings to what he dreamed as real, is he wise? The King said: No, World-Honored One. Why? Because ultimately, there is no nose root in the dream. How much less could there be its severing? It should be known that this person merely exhausts himself in vain, with nothing real.

Explanation: O Great King, for example, a person dreams that a non-human severs his nose root. What do you think? After this person awakens, he continuously recalls the matter of his nose root being destroyed in the dream. Is this matter truly existent? King Śuddhodana said: It is not truly existent, World-Honored One. The Buddha said: O Great King, this person clings to what he dreamed as real. Is he a wise person? King Śuddhodana said: He is not a wise person, World-Honored One. Why is this so? Because ultimately, there is no nose root in the dream, let alone an event of the nose root being severed. It should be known that this person merely toils his mind in vain, with no real substance.

Non-humans do not belong to the human category; they include asuras, Yama, garuḍas, ghosts, spirits, and the like. They are not human. Many non-humans also act as protective deities for us humans; they create both evil and good karma.

Original Text: The Buddha said: O Great King, so it is, so it is. Foolish ordinary beings, seeing the nose root destroyed, conceive thoughts of terror, creating foolish karma: three bodily, four verbal, and three mental actions. Initially created, it perishes in an instant. After this karma ceases, it does not abide in the east, south, west, north, the four intermediate directions, above, below, or in between. At the final moment when the life faculty ceases completely, the karmic retribution of one's own deeds all manifests, just like recalling dreamt matters after awakening.

Explanation: The Buddha said: O Great King, it is indeed so. Foolish ordinary beings, seeing their nose root destroyed, give rise to thoughts of terror, creating foolish karma: three bodily, four verbal, and three mental actions. From the moment of initial creation, the karmic actions perish instantaneously as they are created. After these karmic actions cease, they do not abide in the east, west, south, north, the four intermediate directions, above, or below. But when life is about to end, the karmic retribution created in this lifetime fully manifests, just like recalling matters from a dream after awakening.

Explanation: O Great King, the ālaya-vijñāna is the master giving rise to the five aggregates of the next life; karmic seeds are the condition. With the union of this cause and condition, the initial consciousness of the next life arises. Once the initial consciousness arises, sentient beings may proceed to the hell realm, fall into the ghost realm, or be reborn in the animal realm and other three evil destinies; or they may be reborn in the asura realm, human realm, or heavenly realm—the three good destinies. Once the initial consciousness arises, sentient beings begin to receive their respective karmic retribution. Then, the consciousness within the same physical body continuously operates without interruption. When the consciousness ceases at the end of life, the physical body becomes a corpse, called the dead aggregates. The initial consciousness arising in the physical body is called the initial consciousness; the five aggregates of the physical body are called the living aggregates.

Explanation: Know bodily consciousness thus, knowing the self-nature of bodily consciousness is empty; know the karmic actions created by one's own consciousness thus, knowing the self-nature of karmic actions is empty; know the initial consciousness thus, knowing the self-nature of the initial consciousness is empty; know thus that if any dharma arises, its arising is empty; if any dharma ceases, its cessation is empty; simultaneously, know the creation and operation of karmic actions—there is no doer and no experiencer; all dharmas are merely illusory appearances and nominal conceptual manifestations.

Original Text: O Great King, it is like a person who, oppressed by hunger in a dream, obtains delicious food and eats it freely. What do you think? After this person awakens and recalls the delicious food, does it truly exist? The King said: No. The Buddha said: O Great King, if this person clings to what he dreamed as real, is he wise? The King said: No, World-Honored One. Why? Because ultimately, there is no such delicious food in the dream. How much less could he eat it? It should be known that this person merely exhausts himself in vain, with nothing real.

Explanation: The Buddha said: O Great King, it is like a person who is tormented and oppressed by hunger in a dream, encounters delicious delicacies, and eats freely. What is your view? After this person awakens from sleep, he continuously recalls the delicious delicacies from the dream. Is this matter truly existent? King Śuddhodana said: It is not truly existent. The Buddha said: O Great King, this person clings to his dream as real. Is he a wise person? King Śuddhodana said: He is not a wise person, World-Honored One. Why is this so? Because ultimately, there are no such delicious delicacies in the dream, let alone the event of enjoying food. It should be known that this person merely toils his mind in vain.

Original Text: The Buddha said: O Great King, so it is, so it is. Foolish ordinary beings, upon seeing delicious food, conceive thoughts of attachment, giving rise to greedy actions: three bodily, four verbal, and three mental actions. Initially created, it perishes in an instant. After this karma ceases, it does not abide in the east, south, west, north, the four intermediate directions, above, below, or in between. At the final moment when the life faculty ceases, the karmic retribution of one's own deeds all manifests, just like recalling dreamt matters after awakening.

Explanation: The Buddha said: O Great King, it is indeed so. Foolish ordinary beings, encountering delicious food, give rise to thoughts of greed, creating greedy karmic actions: three bodily, four verbal, and three mental actions. From the moment of initial creation, the karmic actions perish instantaneously as they are created. After these karmic actions cease, they do not abide in the east, west, south, north, the four intermediate directions, above, or below. But when life is about to end, the karmic retribution created in this lifetime fully manifests, just like recalling matters from a dream after awakening.

Explanation: The ālaya-vijñāna is the master giving rise to the five aggregates of the next life; karmic seeds are the condition. With the union of this cause and condition, the initial consciousness of the next life arises. Sentient beings may proceed to the hell realm, fall into the ghost realm, or be reborn in the animal realm—the three evil destinies; or they may be reborn in the asura realm, human realm, or heavenly realm—the three good destinies. Once the initial consciousness arises, sentient beings begin to receive their respective karmic retribution. Then, the consciousness within the same physical body continuously operates without interruption. When the consciousness ceases at the end of life, the physical body becomes a corpse, called the dead aggregates. The initial consciousness arising in the physical body is called the initial consciousness; the five aggregates of the physical body are called the living aggregates.

Original Text: O Great King, it is like a person who, oppressed by hunger in a dream, obtains bitter gourds and gourd-like bitter fruits (kushaṭakī), bitter melons (bījapūraka), and eats them. His mind becomes angry and resentful. What do you think? After this person awakens and recalls eating the bitter gourds and such in the dream, does it truly exist? The King said: No. The Buddha said: O Great King, if this person clings to what he dreamed as real, is he wise? The King said: No, World-Honored One. Why? Because ultimately, there is no bitter gourd or such thing in the dream. How much less could he eat it? It should be known that this person merely exhausts himself in vain, with nothing real.

Explanation: O Great King, it is like a person who, oppressed by hunger in a dream, obtains bitter gourds and kushaṭakī fruits, bījapūraka melons, and other bitter and unpalatable things, and thus eats them. After eating, he feels pain and gives rise to resentment. What do you think? After this person awakens and recalls eating the bitter gourds in the dream, is this matter truly existent? King Śuddhodana said: It is not truly existent.

The Buddha said: O Great King, this person clings to what he dreamed as real. Is he a wise person? King Śuddhodana said: He is not a wise person, World-Honored One. Why is this so? Because ultimately, there is no bitter gourd in the dream, let alone the event of eating bitter gourds. It should be known that this person merely toils his mind in vain, with no real substance.

Original Text: The Buddha said: O Great King, so it is, so it is. Foolish ordinary beings, oppressed by hunger in a dream, eat bitter flavors, conceive thoughts of anger and distress, create such karmic actions: three bodily, four verbal, and three mental actions. After creating that karma, it immediately perishes. After this karma ceases, it does not abide in the east, south, west, north, the four intermediate directions, above, below, or in between. At the final moment when the life faculty ceases, the karmic retribution of one's own deeds all manifests, just like recalling dreamt matters after awakening.

Explanation: The Buddha said: O Great King, it is indeed so. Foolish ordinary beings, oppressed by hunger in a dream, eat bitter-flavored food, and their minds give rise to anger and distress, creating evil karmic actions: three bodily, four verbal, and three mental actions. From the moment of initial creation, the karmic actions perish instantaneously as they are created. After these karmic actions cease, they do not abide in the east, west, south, north, the four intermediate directions, above, or below. But when life is about to end, the karmic retribution created in this lifetime fully manifests, just like recalling matters from a dream after awakening.

Explanation: O Great King, the ālaya-vijñāna is the master giving rise to the five aggregates of the next life; karmic seeds are the condition. With the union of this cause and condition, the initial consciousness of the next life arises. Sentient beings may proceed to the hell realm, fall into the ghost realm, or be reborn in the animal realm and other three evil destinies; or they may be reborn in the asura realm, human realm, or heavenly realm—the three good destinies. Once the initial consciousness arises, sentient beings begin to receive their respective karmic retribution. Then, the consciousness within the same physical body continuously operates without interruption. When the consciousness ceases at the end of life, the physical body becomes a corpse, called the dead aggregates. The initial consciousness arising in the physical body is called the initial consciousness; the five aggregates of the physical body are called the living aggregates.

Original Text: O Great King, it is like a person whose tongue root is severed in a dream. What do you think? After this person awakens and recalls it in the dream, is it real? The King said: No. The Buddha said: O Great King, if this person clings to what he dreamed as real, is he wise? The King said: No, World-Honored One. Why? Because ultimately, there is no tongue root in the dream. How much less could it be severed? It should be known that this person merely exhausts himself in vain, with nothing real.

Explanation: O Great King, it is like a person who dreams that his tongue root is severed. What do you think? After this person awakens, he continuously recalls the matter from his dream. Is the matter in the dream truly existent? King Śuddhodana said: It is not truly existent, World-Honored One. The Buddha said: O Great King, this person clings to his dream as real. Is he wise? King Śuddhodana replied: He is not wise, World-Honored One. Why is this so? Because ultimately, there is no tongue root in the dream, let alone an event of the tongue root being severed. It should be known that this person merely toils his mind in vain, with not a shred of real substance.

Original Text: The Buddha said: O Great King, so it is, so it is. Foolish ordinary beings, seeing the tongue destroyed, conceive thoughts of anger and distress, create such karmic actions: three bodily, four verbal, and three mental actions. After creating that karma, it perishes in an instant. This karma does not abide in the four directions, the four intermediate directions, above, or below. At the final moment when the life faculty ceases, the karmic retribution of one's own deeds all manifests, just like recalling dreamt matters after awakening.

Explanation: The Buddha said: O Great King, it is indeed so. Foolish ordinary beings, seeing their tongue root destroyed in a dream, give rise to thoughts of anger and distress, creating evil karmic actions: three bodily, four verbal, and three mental actions. From the moment of initial creation, the karmic actions perish instantaneously as they are created. After these karmic actions cease, they do not abide in the east, west, south, north, the four intermediate directions, above, or below. But when life is about to end, the karmic retribution created in this lifetime fully manifests, just like recalling matters from a dream after awakening.

Explanation: O Great King, the ālaya-vijñāna is the master giving rise to the five aggregates of the next life; karmic seeds are the condition. With the union of this cause and condition, the initial consciousness of the next life arises. Sentient beings may proceed to the hell realm, fall into the ghost realm, or be reborn in the animal realm and other three evil destinies; or they may be reborn in the asura realm, human realm, or heavenly realm—the three good destinies. Once the initial consciousness arises, sentient beings begin to receive their respective karmic retribution. Then, the consciousness within the same physical body continuously operates without interruption. When the consciousness ceases at the end of life, the physical body becomes a corpse, called the dead aggregates. The initial consciousness arising in the physical body is called the initial consciousness; the five aggregates of the physical body are called the living aggregates.

All dharmas contacted by sentient beings are illusory dharmas. By repeatedly comparing these dharmas to dreams, one can gain a concrete understanding of worldly dharmas, and inner attachments will gradually loosen. Many actions will no longer be desired, and physical, verbal, and mental actions in real life can gradually become purified. In this sutra, the World-Honored One repeatedly uses the dream analogy to guide King Śuddhodana to see through the illusory nature of the five desires and six dusts, recognizing that the essence of this world is like a dream, without true reality.

Original Text: O Great King, you should know that the sense faculties are like illusions; sense objects are like dreams. All dharmas are entirely empty and quiescent. This is called the liberation gate of emptiness. Emptiness without the mark of emptiness is called the liberation gate of marklessness. If there are no marks, then there is no wish or seeking. This is called the liberation gate of wishlessness. These three dharmas proceed together with emptiness. The path preliminary to nirvāṇa is decisively like the dharmadhātu, pervading the bounds of space. Regarding these analogies, they should be known thus.

Explanation: O Great King, you should know that the six sense faculties are like illusions; all kinds of sense objects are like dream states. All dharmas are entirely empty and quiescent. This is the liberation gate of emptiness; dharmas are empty and without the mark of emptiness, called the liberation gate of marklessness; if all dharmas have no marks whatsoever, then there should be no wish or seeking, called the liberation gate of wishlessness. Thus, the three liberation gates—emptiness, marklessness, and wishlessness—exist together with emptiness. The path leading to nirvāṇa should be cultivated thus. To seek nirvāṇa, one must first know that all dharmas are the true reality dharmadhātu, all are the ālaya-vijñāna, the one true dharmadhātu, pervading the bounds of the ten directions, and only then can nirvāṇa be realized. Regarding these analogies, they should be understood thus.

The eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—the six sense faculties—are all illusory. The various objects seen by the eyes, the various sounds heard by the ears, the various objects perceived by the six sense faculties, are like matters in a dream, not real. What is there to pursue? All dharmas are entirely empty and quiescent; there is not a single dharma that is not empty, not a single dharma that is not quiescent; there is nothing at all. This is the liberation gate of emptiness. Realizing that all dharmas are empty, knowing they are empty, the mind is liberated.

"Emptiness without the mark of emptiness" is called the liberation gate of marklessness. The dharma of emptiness has no characteristic that can be seen, spoken of, or pointed out; even emptiness is empty. This is the liberation gate of marklessness. Knowing emptiness has no characteristics whatsoever, and even emptiness does not exist, the mind is even more liberated. If there is not even the mark of emptiness, if even emptiness does not exist, what emptiness is there to grasp? "If there are no marks, then there is no wish or seeking." If there are no marks whatsoever, what is there to wish for? There is nothing further to seek. This is the liberation gate of wishlessness. Without wishes or seeking, the mind is even more liberated. Emptiness, marklessness, wishlessness—if these three liberation gates are perfected, one becomes a sage, entering the stage of sainthood.

The three dharmas—emptiness, marklessness, and wishlessness—proceed together with emptiness. They are not separate from emptiness, yet have no mark of emptiness; the three are also inseparable, progressively deepening, leading to ultimate liberation. To enter nirvāṇa and seek non-arising and non-ceasing, one should cultivate thus, continuously generating mental activities of emptiness, becoming increasingly empty, until even emptiness is emptied, only then is emptiness utterly complete. If the mind still holds onto an idea of emptiness, then true emptiness is not yet attained; the mind of emptiness should still be extinguished. On the path to nirvāṇa, one should practice thus to realize nirvāṇa. Nirvāṇa is liberation; nirvāṇa is non-arising and non-ceasing; nirvāṇa is quiescent and unconditioned; nirvāṇa is great freedom.