Commentary on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (90)

Are the battles with enemies in dreams real and existent?

Original text:大王。譬若有人。于睡梦中。与诸冤对。共相斗战。于意云何。是人觉已。忆念梦中。斗战等事。为实有不。王曰不也。

佛言大王。是人所梦。执以为实。为智者不。王曰不也。世尊。何以故。梦中毕竟。无有冤对。何况与之。共相斗战。当知是人。徒自忧恼。都无有实。

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, suppose there is a person who, in a dream, battles with many enemies, fighting against one another. What do you think? After this person wakes up, he still recollects the fighting in the dream — are those things in the dream real and existent? King Śuddhodana said: They are not real and existent.

Great King, if this person clings to the dream as being real and does not let go, is he a person of wisdom? King Śuddhodana said: This person is not a wise one, World-Honored One. Why? Because in the dream there are no enemies at all, let alone any matter of battling with those enemies. This person merely brings sorrow and vexation upon himself; there is nothing real in the dream.