Commentary on the Pitāputrasamāgama Sutra (Part 90)

King, is fighting with adversaries in a dream real?

Original Text:

King, suppose a person, in his sleep, dreams of battling with various adversaries. What do you think? After this person awakens and recalls the events of battle and such from the dream, are those events real?

The King said: No, they are not.

The Buddha said: King, is this person wise if he clings to the dream as real?

The King said: No, he is not, World-Honored One. Why? Because ultimately, there are no adversaries in the dream, much less any actual battle with them. It should be understood that this person merely troubled himself in vain, for none of it was real.

Explanation:

The Buddha said: "King, suppose someone, in his sleep, dreams of battling with various adversaries. What do you think? After this person awakens and still recalls the events of battle from the dream, are those events real?"

King Śuddhodana replied: "No, they are not real."

"King, is this person wise if he clings to the dream as real and refuses to let go?"

King Śuddhodana said: "This person is not wise, World-Honored One. Why? Because adversaries do not exist in the dream, much less any actual battle with those adversaries. This person merely troubled himself in vain; there were no real people or events in the dream."