The Buddha reasoned that the real factor determining things was not who you are, or what you are, or whether you exist or don’t exist. The real issue is action and its results.

"As the Buddha pointed out in Majjhima 2, there are lots of questions that you could ask that are inappropriate and they’re not even worth your attention. When you look at the list, you can see that many of them are the kinds of questions you would be tempted to ask if you had knowledge of this sort: “What was I in the past? What will I be in the future? What am I now?” Instead of focusing on the actions, you start focusing on your identity — who you are as a being.

But apparently the Buddha reasoned that the real factor determining things was not who you are, or what you are, or whether you exist or don’t exist. The real issue is action and its results. So he didn’t let himself get waylaid by thoughts of what we would call metaphysics — the existence of beings and things. He focused solely on actions. As a result, was able to see the patterns by which these actions played themselves out, and also the possibility of going beyond them. It’s because he looked carefully that he saw that possibility. He looked carefully and he asked the right questions."

~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Tap, Tap, Tap"

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