Like our mortal body, we grow into this life with mind, emotions, and ego (sense of *I*, *ME* and *MINE* separate from all else), and all of those can be seen as resulting from prior causes and conditions (karma). Fear based motivation drives ego; lack of survival, keeping job, and paying bills for the first mason, and when those seem endless, life is suffering. The alternative is finding (and appreciating) Love in whatever we do (as the second mason), which is much more satisfactory, though as long as what we love is external, there will still be fears of losing that love (such as cathedral being destroyed by war, abandoned due to finances, failing health preventing working, or dying). Awakening from the dream of ego offers freedom from all fears, while right-action, and boundless loving-kindness continue without limits.
On Nov 5, 2022 Ted wrote :