“Why?” Or “What?”
The question “Why?” relates to the past.
The question “What?” relates to now.
We ask the question why in relation to a scenario, but what do we then do about it? In dwelling on the past, we merely go round in circles. Why is the speculative question. What is the practical question. To some, this is meaningful.
Why am I suffering?
What is the cause?
What do I do about it?
What … ?
This is the path to enlightenment.
BUDDHA IN THE MUD is a blog - a living book based on the Dzogchen teachings. Our teacher is life, and life is karma. We are all Buddhas in the mud of concepts. 
What makes me think I am suffering?
Hello jimwdollar,
When we realise our natural state of pure consciousness that is at perfect peace even though turmoil surrounds us, we notice being distracted in the form of desire, aversion and indifference.
Ordinarily, we think this is normal but, on investigation, we realise that these drive us to distraction, and we become victims.
It’s fun for a while, but then we notice it’s insanity, by seeing how the world (people) behaves. When we can acknowledge discontent (suffering), we can then look for the cause of this suffering. The answer is in a self-identity, a mental acquisition, observed by pure consciousness.
These negative emotions of desire, aversion and indifference are in fact wisdoms in the very first instant that they arise; that is to say, the mind brightens/illuminates. This is the presence of pure consciousness.
Tony