Why Are We Unaware That We Are Dreaming When We Dream?

The reason why living beings dream is due to the continuous clinging and attachment of the manas to certain dharmas, which causes the ālaya-vijñāna to accordingly give rise to the dream state. Dreams belong to the appearance-only realm, where the conscious mind cognizes alone without the cooperation of the five sense-consciousnesses. Since the conditions for the manifestation of the appearance-only realm are relatively few, as long as the manas clings to and fixates on certain dharmas, the appearance-only realm can arise. Then, when the manas comes into contact with the appearance-only realm, the ālaya-vijñāna gives rise to consciousness to cognize the appearance-only realm. However, during dreams, the conscious mind's capacity for thought and judgment is insufficient; its discriminatory power is relatively weak, and its ability to recognize is not very strong. Mostly, it is passively led along by the dream without realizing that it is dreaming. At the same time, the conscious mind's introspective ability is also relatively weak, and its wisdom is deficient; thus, it does not know that its activities are occurring within a dream, that it is cognizing the appearance-only realm of the dream. Therefore, it remains unaware that it is in a dream and is dreaming.

If an individual has cultivated to some extent, and the manas has been effectively influenced by the Buddha Dharma and wholesome dharmas, it will not direct the consciousness to create unwholesome karma and can control the actions of the consciousness. Then, for such a person in the intermediate state, the manas may also be able to control the six consciousnesses to refrain from creating unwholesome karma, not following unwholesome conditions to manifest karmic actions, and can guide the six consciousnesses to perform wholesome deeds and create wholesome karma. In this way, a wholesome mind accords with wholesome destinies, making the likelihood of rebirth in a wholesome realm relatively high. Moreover, the consciousness also knows how to choose wholesome destinies, increasing the possibility of rebirth in a favorable place.