Selected Lectures on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (Pitāputrasamāgamasūtra) (44)

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, fights and battles with many adversaries. What do you think? After this person wakes up, he still keeps recalling the fighting in the dream — do those things in the dream truly exist? King Śuddhodana said: They do not truly exist.

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