Why Don't We Know We Are Dreaming When We Dream?

The reason one dreams is that the manas constantly grasps at and clings to certain dharmas, and the eighth consciousness, in accordance with this, gives rise to the dream state. Dreams belong to the subjectively imagined realm, discerned solely by the mind consciousness without the cooperation of the five sense consciousnesses. Because the conditions for the arising of the subjectively imagined realm are relatively few, as long as the manas clings to and dwells upon certain dharmas, the subjectively imagined realm can appear; then when the manas contacts the subjectively imagined realm, the eighth consciousness gives birth to the mind consciousness, which discerns the subjectively imagined realm. However, in dreams, the mind consciousness's to unwholesome conditions, and can lead the six consciousnesses to do good and create wholesome karma. In this way, a wholesome mind corresponds to the wholesome destinies, and the likelihood of rebirth in a wholesome destiny is relatively great. Moreover, the mind consciousness also knows how to choose a wholesome destiny, so it is possible to be reborn in a wholesome place.