by Katsuki Sekida.

In Buddhist literature, the ox is likened to one's own True Nature. To search for the ox is to investigate this True Nature. The first stage in the sequence is the starting of the investigation. Consider young men or women on the threshold of their lives. They probably do not know what they really want from life, but in their naivete they may think that...

by Franz Metcalf.

Don't worry, I won't give you a history of Buddhism. There are many dull accounts of this history and a few not-so-dull ones. For now, let's get right to the living center of Buddhism: what the Buddha saw, felt, and taught to his disciples. We'll also look at the continued growth of Buddhist ideas beyond what the Buddha himself taught...

by Katsuki Sekida.

Zen is concerned with the problem of the nature of mind, so it necessarily includes an element of philosophical speculation. However, in Zen we are never separated from our personal practice, which we carry out with our body and mind. Zen aims at overthrowing our distorted view of the world...

I remember as a child that when evening would come and I would see the first star, I would happily intone the little rhyme: "Star Light, Star Bright, First star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, Have the wish I wish tonight."  And then the child that I was would always...

by John Randolph Price.

I've written about the fear of the future and said, "If we dwell in concern over the tomorrows of life, we lose today . . ." Yet hardly a week goes by that I don't receive a letter expressing concern about what's on the horizon. But if we're going to live joyfully in the Fourth Dimension...

by Karen Holmes Taylor.

One of our most ingrained belief systems, and one that evokes the most fear whenever challenged, is our religious beliefs. Conflict will surely arise every time anyone challenges our programming regarding religion. In the beginning, I was told what to believe about God, salvation, and eternity, by people I trusted...

by Sharon Salzberg.

Compassion is not a thought or a sentimental feeling, but is rather a movement of the heart. Compassion is born out of lovingkindness. But we may get distracted, we forget, we get caught up in something else, or we confuse another feeling for the state of compassion.

by Pema Chodron.

It's up to us. We can spend our lives cultivating our resentments and cravings or we can explore the path of the warrior ? nurturing open-mindedness and courage. Most of us keep strengthening our negative habits and therefore sow the seeds of our own suffering. The bodhichitta practices, however, are ways for us to sow the seeds of well-being. Particularly powerful are the aspiration practices of the four limitless qualities ? loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity.

by Sylvia Browne.

"In the name of God" we have created more atrocities than any one person or group could ever think up. In truth, all of it has been in the name of idolatry, not God. Please ask yourself, why are we worshiping a god of fear? Of vengeance? Where is the God of love, the One who lovingly put us here?

by Prema Baba Swamiji.

The Judeo-Christian tradition has conditioned many to believe that God exists... in some remote far away region. This negates the idea of an indwelling God. Your spiritual hunger -- your search for God -- is the desire to become holy, wholly unified in mind, body, and spirit.

by Woody Hochswender, Greg Martin & Ted Morino.

Buddhism explains the profound truths of life. But it also provides an immensely practical method for overcoming obstacles and transforming oneself. It can be applied to every area of your existence: family, work, relationships, health. And it can be applied by anyone. Each and every human being contains the inherent capacity to be a Buddha