Naturalness: A Classic of Shin Buddhism

By Dr. Kenryo Kanamatsu

Review prepared by Alan Sakamoto

Dr. Kanamatsu introduces the essence and spirit of Shin Buddhism. He explains fundamental Shin Budhdhist concepts and vocabulary with western words and terminology to assist the western reader who should understand with not only his brain, or heart, but with his brain, heart, spine, and soul. In place of "Compassion" he uses
"Love"; "Prajna", "Pure Feeling"; and "Amida Buddha", "Unthinkable Timeless Being".

The author notes throughout his book those phenomena that stand in logical opposition to each other are actually One. He writes of the Onesness of I and thou. Of form and formlessness. Of passivity and activity. Of man and parent; of the stream and ocean. He explains that being One with the opposite is freedom, i.e. naturalness.

This may not be the book for the first time Shin Buddhist reader. Yet, it provides a deep and thought provoking view which leads to greater spiritual illumination. Its complexity and simplicity, "which like a haiku speaks volumes with few words", provides us guidance in this ever changing and artificially structured world.

Dr. Kanamatsu was a Fulbright scholar at Cornell and the University of Chicago. This book was originally written in 1949, and republished by the Buddhist Churches of America. Its timelessness is a reflection of the freedom which may be obtained through the awareness of the Universal Power.