Commentary on the Sutra of the Father and Son Compendium (117)

Is the Life-and-Death Separation in a Dream Real?

Original Text: The Buddha said, "Great King, when one hears evil sounds, one gives rise to sorrow and distress. It is like a person who, in a dream, experiences the parting of loved ones, wailing and weeping in grief, feeling great distress. What do you think? After this person awakens and recalls the events of the dream, are they real?" The King replied, "No, they are not." The Buddha said, "Great King, if this person clings to what he dreamed as real, is he a wise person?" The King replied, "No, World-Honored One. Why? Because the loved ones in the dream ultimately do not exist, let alone the event of parting. It should be understood that this person merely wears out his mind in vain, for there is no reality to it at all."

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, when some people hear evil sounds, sorrow and distress arise in their minds. It is like someone who dreams of the life-and-death separation of a beloved relative, grieves and weeps, and feels great distress within. What is your view? After this person awakens and repeatedly recalls the events of the dream, are those events real? King Śuddhodana replied: They are not real.

The Buddha said: Great King, if this person regards what he dreamed as real, is he a wise person? King Śuddhodana replied: That person is not wise, World-Honored One. Why? Because the relatives in the dream ultimately do not exist. If there were still the event of parting, it would be even less real. Therefore, this person exhausts his mind over non-existent people and events entirely in vain, toiling his heart without any benefit.