Commentary on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (103)

Recalling the wonderful music in a dream is nothing but self-exhaustion

Original text: 佛言大王。譬如有人。于睡梦中。闻妙乐声。心生适悦。是人觉已。忆念梦中。美妙音乐。是实有不。王曰不也。

佛言大王。于意云何。是人所梦。执以为实。是智者不。王曰。不也世尊。何以故。梦中毕竟。无有乐声。何况复有。生适悦耶。当知是人。徒自疲劳。都无有实。

Explanation: The Buddha said to King Śuddhodana: Great King, suppose there is a person who, while sleeping and dreaming, hears the sound of wonderful music, and a feeling of comfort and delight arises in his mind. After this person wakes up, he keeps recalling the wonderful music from his dream. Was what he heard in the dream truly existent? King Śuddhodana said: No, World-Honored One. The Buddha said: Great King, what do you think? If this person takes what he dreamed as something truly existent, is he a wise person? King Śuddhodana said: This person has no wisdom, World-Honored One. Why is it said this way? Because in the dream there was, after all, no sound of music, let alone the feeling of comfort and delight that arose in this person's mind. Therefore, one should know that this person is merely wearing himself out and exhausting his mental energy in vain; there is nothing actually existent there.