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If I was a Buddhist I might say that suffering was a basic characteristic of conditioned existence and as such is caused by greed (grasping after things), hate (trying to get rid of things), and delusion (not understanding the true nature of conditioned existence). Whilst I can work to change the conditions - give the sheep a bit of grass to run about on, relieve relative poverty in some parts of the world and so on - and indeed I should work to change those conditions - changing the conditions is not going to relieve suffering. Only individuals working at their own liberation from suffering can do that - though in changing the conditions in which beings live I might help get them to a place where they can do that.
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