Despite its 800-year history and standing as one of the most popular branches of Buddhism in the world, Shin Buddhism has been passed on primarily through an oral tradition, leaving few books written about it. Buddhism of the Heart addresses that gap. Using anecdote, reflection, humor, and more, this book invites readers into the world of Shin stories and metaphors, passed down, elaborated, and re-energized generation after generation. The truth of Shin Buddhism’s sacred storytelling, explains author Jeff Wilson, lies in the degree to which it points the hearer on toward deeper humility, awakening, and thankfulness. He shows how the tradition moves us beyond the petty ego as we come closer to the “entrusting heart,” the heart that is rooted in boundless gratitude and considerate awareness of others. A major new voice in Western Buddhism, Wilson evokes the warmth of Robert Fulghum and the nonjudgmental spiritual struggling of Anne Lamott in this accessible, affirming work for the modern seeker.
