Committing negative actions while dreaming

[Positive Change]

I've started reading Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's "The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep". It seems we do create karma in our dreams due to the karmic traces which remain in our consciousness as a result of our actions. So if we react angrily to a provocation, even though the dream partner is just a projection of our mind, we still sow yet another karmic seed.

He says that "Any reaction to any situation - external or internal, waking or dreaming - that is rooted in grasping or aversion, leaves a trace in the mind. As karma dictates reactions, the reactions sow further karmic seeds, which further dictate reactions, and so on. This is how karma leads to more of itself. It is the wheel of samsara, the ceaseless cycle of action and reaction." (p. 28)

Now that I understand more, I agree with KhedrubGyatso that we can commit negative karma in dreams. This is really scary. It seems the only way to combat negative responses is to apply the antidotes and produce karmic traces (imprints) that are positive. Makes sense to me.

This is indeed most interesting. It is difficult enough to try to control or subdue our thoughts and actions while we are awake but imagine being asleep where only our deep seeded impulses are triggered and no reasoning can be applied. Scary thought!

You are absolutely right Midakpa.... we should constantly combat negative responses  by applying antidotes and produce karmic traces (imprints) that are positive ALWAYS, especially when we CAN. Especially when we can... hence being in human form is considered being in the most opportune conditions because we are able to practice. If not controlling our mind in dream state scares us, imagine what it must be like being in any other state which does not allow us to practice... that surely is a slippery slide to eternal suffering. :s

[Dondrup Shugden]

"Dream reflects your state of mind, bad dream means that your mind needs more meditation. Living beings are not Buddha, so it is natural to have bad dreams for most people. It is negative karma in the sense that it reflects your state of mind. Be relax and meditate on Om Mani Padme Hum, mantra, reading sutra and chanting of buddha name or sitting meditation. "

Negative Karma is created from a "thought" then the "action of carrying out the thought" and "rejoice especially if harm and hurt or any form of immorality is created" and all the three processes are done without remorse nor regret but for self satisfaction.

As such I and inspired to read the comment from a contributor which explains clearly why we dream in that manner and the way we can ''cure'' our disturbances of the dreams. 

[Kim Hyun Jae]

Imprints of delusions cannot be removed by meditating on ultimate truth ( emptiness ) with a conceptual or gross mind. It can only be removed via the subtle mind.
This is the paths of meditation after the 3rd mahayana path of Seeing.
For most of us now , above is only knowledge, more important for us to gather merits to support our progress along these paths.

Diverting a little bit here - How do we remove the "negativities" in the subtle mind so as to stop these "bad disturbing" dreams to occur again?

[Dondrup Shugden]

Good Diversion, I guess the best way besides meditating to calm the mind, we need to do virtuous deeds to collect merits to erase the negativities of the subtle mind.

If the gross mind can perceive what are wrong views, it is the practice of 8 verses of mind transformation that will remove the negativities of the subtle mind which stores imprints of past lives. In order to practise the 8 verses of mind transformation it is being mindful when we go about our lives on daily basis.