The Manas Cannot Distinguish Between Inside and Outside a Dream

The manas cannot distinguish between dream and waking reality; sometimes it takes a dream as reality, and sometimes it takes reality as a dream. While asleep, the manas is still awake and, relying on the tathāgatagarbha, can discern all dharmas. When it sees someone approaching and considers this matter to be important, the mind consciousness emerges and also discerns it. The manas knows that it is sleeping, and gives the mind consciousness an illusory impression, so the mind consciousness believes it is in a dream. In fact, it has not figured out whether it is inside or outside the dream, and it gets up to take precautionary measures. The main reason is still that the manas has become frightened, and thus startles the mind consciousness awake; when afraid, the mind no longer discriminates whether it is inside or outside a dream.