Coping with a Father's Illness in Buddhism : หน้า 158/207

"Recently, he fell seriously ill and was admitted into a hospital. The doctor said he has cancer and probably won't have much time to live. My father does not have faith in Buddhism. How can I help him cope with this suffering? If I make merit on behalf of my father when he is still alive, could this merit help him gain recovery? The respected senior monk replied, "Before giving care to a dying patient no matter the illness, you must understand one thing that is of utmost importance. It is the state of mind that will determine the destination of his afterlife. So, try not to have him worry about anything. "The Lord Buddha once said, 'A clouded mind leads to an unfavorable realm.' "During the last two months of your father's life, try your best to have him develop a clear mind. And making merit is the best way to make the mind bright and clear. "If my father does not have faith in Buddhism and I make the merit for him, will he receive the merit? "The answer is, he will receive the fruit of the merit only when he rejoices in your merit, and the amount of merit he receives will be less than what he will receive if he makes it himself. "If a person does not believe in the law of cause and effect, at the time of death when caught by the results of his The Warm Hearted Family 315 The Last Moment of a Father's Life