大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 3.12

3.12

The sūtra says: “Furthermore, Lord of Mysteries! Just as in what is seen in a dream, one abides for daytime hours, muhūrtas, kṣaṇas, years, and seasons, experiencing various types of suffering and pleasure, but upon awakening sees nothing at all; you should know that dream-like mantra practice is also like this.” The Commentary says: “Just as in a dream there are no real things at all, yet one considers them real, and upon awakening, knowing they do not exist, one laughs at oneself; people are also like this: in the slumber of the fetters, though there is nothing real, they become attached, and upon awakening when attaining the path, they realize there was nothing real and likewise laugh at themselves.” Furthermore, just as by the power of sleep, one sees phenomena where there are no phenomena, rejoices where there is nothing joyful, angers where there is nothing to anger, and fears where there is nothing frightful; sentient beings are also like this: through the power of the slumber of avidyā, where they should not be angry, sorrowful, or fearful, they give rise to anger, sorrow, fear, and so forth. Therefore, it now clarifies the inconceivable aspect of this dream matter. For example, in a dream, one sees oneself living for one day, two days, or even immeasurable years, where there are various lands and categories of sentient beings, and one ascends to celestial palaces or enters hells to experience various sufferings and pleasures; yet upon waking, it was but a single thought-moment. Seeking it through the four extremes within the causes and conditions of the awakened mind and the phenomenon of sleep, it is entirely unfindable, yet the dream events are distinctly apparent and remembered without error. Taking a single thought-moment as tens of millions of years, and a single mind as immeasurable realms—this matter cannot be fathomed to its bottom by the conjecture and deliberation of worldly-wise persons, nor is it something to be doubted; only the dreamer directly knows it. Now the yoga dream of this mantra practitioner is also like this: in an instant one may fully see immeasurable realms of adhiṣṭhāna; or without rising from one's seat, many kalpas pass; or one travels extensively through the buddha-lands, drawing near to, making offerings to, and benefiting sentient beings. When contemplating these matters among all the various causes and conditions, they do not arise at all and do not depart from a single thought-moment of the pure mind, yet they are distinguished without error. Who could conceive of this and explain its cause? Truly, only those who directly realize it know it themselves. When the practitioner attains such realms, they should only contemplate them with the simile of a dream: their mind will neither doubt nor wonder, nor will it give rise to attachment; thus with the dream of the universally manifested physical body, they produce inexhaustible adornments. Therefore, it says: “deeply cultivate the ten phrases.”