Bodhisattvas fear causes; 

unawakened beings fear results. 

Understanding that every cause has a consequence, bodhisattvas strive to avoid creating evil causes while generating good ones. This two-pronged approach provides the right conditions for these awakened beings to continue along the path to enlightenment. 

Unawakened beings, on the other hand, are like children who commit a misdeed but hope not to get caught. When their bad conduct is discovered, they may blame others. Or they may become defensive. They do not realize that such reactions are yet more causes, causes that will incur yet more painful results and more suffering. 

To stop fearing the results, we need to live wisely in the present rather than trying to escape the past. How? By being continuously alert to what we do—to the causes we are creating. Without an adverse cause, adverse consequences will not occur, and we will have saved ourselves from any associated suffering.