Unexpected Freedom

Truly Comfortableplace and to the monks and nuns who live there. And thenone can dedicate the goodness or merit of this act to theperson who has died.This idea may not feel immediately appealing orcomforting because it’s not something that we are familiarwith, but when one does such things as skilful means therecan nevertheless be a surprising sense of comfort when theheart exercises its ability to generate goodness. We can dogood deeds by way of body, speech and mind; through actsof kindness, through restraint, through generosity, throughcultivating honesty and impeccability – these wholesomeactions generate a storehouse of goodness that we can thendedicate. The last act I perform each day before going to bedis to dedicate to all beings whatever goodness I might havecreated by way of body, speech or mind. I spend some timegoing through ‘all beings’ – from my teachers, parents,companions, friends, rulers, enemies … Sometimes it cantake a while and when I am tired and want to get to bed Imight cut it a bit shorter but I rarely, if ever, miss out thepractice. It is very important to me.There are also the meditations on loving-kindness andcompassion. These clear, concrete practices generate atangible sense of comfort that strengthens us inwardly. Wedo need to know that we have things we can do to generatesuch inner well-being. It is not the case that we are alwaysready to turn around and ask of ourselves the deepestquestions regarding the causes of suffering.Chanting is another profoundly comforting thing to do.In times of great despair or grief we can still chant. When Iknew my father was in hospital, having had a series ofstrokes, I felt painfully helpless in being unable to offer anymeaningful support at a time when I really wanted to. It wasmade worse in finding that there was nothing I could do to105