Not Breaking Precepts in Dreams Indicates That the Manas Can Uphold Precepts

Question: Some say that the standard of success in keeping precepts is keeping the precepts without violation even in dreams—being able to be in charge in dreams and absolutely never violating the precepts. This is equivalent to the manas having already understood the principle and being able to do so without the mind consciousness suppressing it. Then one would have some assurance in the antarā-bhava stage, which requires quite strong meditative concentration (samādhi).

Answer: That is correct. After the manas has been successfully permeated with the precepts, it can be in charge and keep the precepts automatically, without violating them day or night. It can be in charge of all kinds of behavior in dreams, and when encountering situations that test it, it can also keep and guard the precepts. Only when the mind of the manas has changed can this be achieved. Those who have not cultivated to this stage are still at the stage of keeping precepts with the mind consciousness. Keeping precepts with the mind consciousness means suppressing the manas, not letting the manas make the choice of bodily, verbal, and mental actions that violate the precepts. Once the mind consciousness can no longer suppress the manas, the manas will choose precept-violating behavior, and the person violates the precepts.

At the beginning of cultivation, one can only make the mind consciousness keep the precepts as much as possible; this is called suppression, or pretending to keep the precepts. When the manas's mind cannot yet change and is not yet autonomous, one first pretends to keep the precepts, pretends to have cultivation, pretends to be a qualified Buddhist learner, pretends to be a decent monastic, and so on—first pretend. After a long time, as one keeps pretending, the manas becomes accustomed to it and changes, and thereafter one no longer needs to pretend deliberately. If one cannot even pretend well, it shows that the manas's afflictive habits are too heavy and the mind consciousness is also weak, unable to suppress the manas. If one does not even want to pretend, it is not only that the manas's afflictions are too heavy—the mind consciousness's afflictions are also heavy, so one simply goes along with the manas's afflictions. This is called letting things take their natural course. Those who advocate not concealing one's afflictions are exactly like this, because they cannot conceal them.