When you hammer a nail into a board and accidentally strike your finger, you take care of the injury immediately. The right hand never says to the left hand, "I am doing charitable work for you." It just does whatever it can to help — giving first aid, compassion, and concern. In the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, the practice of dana, generosity, is like this. We do whatever we can to benefit others without seeing ourselves as helpers and the others as the helped. This is the spirit of non-self.
— Thich Nhat Hanh, Living Buddha, Living Christ