Inexplicable Joy

A personal exploration of the Heart Sutra by NYT bestselling author and Buddhist teacher Susan Piver

"A very helpful practical guide to reading, reciting, and contemplating the Heart Sutra... [that] opens up space for personally exploring this text that is both celebrated and enigmatic." -Karl Brunnhölzl, author of The Heart Attack Sutra

Right now countless humans are reciting the Heart Sutra-no matter when "right now" happens to be. This ancient, essential Buddhist text carries with it a mystery of origin and a myriad of versions for consideration. The longest is 100,000 lines. The one contemplated in Inexplicable Joy is 43 lines. The ultimate is no lines at all. Just one syllable: AH.

The Heart Sutra is multi-layered, sacred, and sometimes impenetrable. It also lays out the path to full enlightenment.

In Inexplicable Joy, Susan Piver shares her intimate, poignant understanding of this formidable text. She discusses the inner meaning and timeless qualities of the Heart Sutra. Breaking down each of its 43 lines, Piver explains how it is practiced, and offers suggestions for bringing it into our lives-while keeping all of its mysteries intact.

"In Inexplicable Joy, we are invited into an intimate relationship with The Heart Sutra-one of the most mysterious, deep and powerful spiritual texts in human history. Drawing on her decades-long love relationship with this scripture, Susan Piver points to ultimate truth with a wonderful freshness and vitality." -Tara Brach, best-selling author of Radical Acceptance and Trusting the Gold