Treasures of the World's Religions

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Naturalness , written in 1949, is more than an introduction to the essence of Shin Buddhism. It is a profound and enlightened meditation on the relationship between man and Amida Buddha, who is pure mercy and whose Name is a vehicle of Nirvanic Reality. Combining the erudition of a philosopher with the sensitivity of a poet, Kenryo Kanamatsu leads the reader into the heart of the subject where man may unite with the Buddha-Nature even in the ordinary activities of everyday life. The deep compassion and beautiful simplicity of this classic work-- which like a haiku speaks volumes with few words-- will appeal to all people who seek a spiritual antidote to the artificiality and ugliness that causes much of the suffering in our world.

"Kenryo Kanamatsu's Naturalness, written in 1949, is a profound introduction to the essence of Shin Buddhism. It brings together the key elements of the Shin tradition, explaining the relationship between the Amida Buddha, man’s essential true Buddha Nature, and the achievement of enlightenment. It is beautifully written, at times seeming more like poetry or perhaps a Koan than a normal text. Much can be gained from deep reflection on this work."
—Living Traditions

"Kenryo Kanamatsu elucidates the emphasis in Shin Buddhism (Jodo-shinsu) on the presence and call of Amida Buddha in the here and now. The book, first printed in Kyoto in 1956, has not been widely available in North America before now. The author, a Japanese scholar from Otani University, gives neither a history of Shin Buddhism nor a detailed analysis of a particular text. Rather, he translates the profundity of the tradition, still little understood in the West, into commonplace English using simple, poetic and striking language."
—Buddhadharma