The point is that we need to find out where these sufferings are coming from. Why are they happening? We have a tendency to say, “Oh, that is reality; that is life.” But that’s not the answer. Yes, it may be life, it may be reality, but why do we need to know about it? Because if we want to make changes, it does no good to make them at the symptom level, the result level; we have to make changes at the causal level. At the result level, the only changes you can make are like plastic surgery.
Change the cause. When you change the cause, you can change the result. In fact, the result can only be changed at the causal level. When Buddha first went out of that palace made especially for him, wherever he looked he saw miseries. Then he asked, “What can I do?” He wanted to get free himself, to help his family to get free, then also to free his subjects, and finally to free all living beings connected to him. Buddha realized that you can change all this only at the causal level.
If a third person could really create the cause [of suffering] for us, it would be terrible! Then you would have found a true enemy, one who really created suffering for you. If an enemy like that existed, then you would take hold of that enemy and do whatever you have to do, cut it, kill it, or whatever. But it’s not anybody else! It’s me. I did it. This is my responsibility. That’s what it is all about.
- Gelek Rimpoche, "The Four Noble Truths"
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