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The Hawaii Buddhist Council will celebrate Bodhi Day next month in tandem with an observation of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
A special joint service is set for 9 a.m. Dec. 6 at the Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin, 1727 Pali Highway.
The event will feature Edwin Hawkins, president emeritus of the Japan-America Society of Hawaii and a retired Air Force colonel.
The Ohana Arts Theatre Company will perform selections from “Peace on Your Wings,” a musical tribute to Sadako Sasaki, a victim of the WWII Hiroshima bombing who inspired the annual folding of 1,000 cranes to symbolize the desire for peace. Donations of canned/packaged food will be collected for Hawaii food banks.
Bodhi Day, Dec. 8, commemorates the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama, who was “born” as Sakyamuni Buddha while meditating under a pippala tree, known also as the “Bodhi tree.” “Enlightenment” is known as “bodhi” in Sanskrit, a news release said.
The Buddhist council is composed of seven Japanese Buddhist denominations, headquartered on Oahu. For more information, email Hqs@honpahi.org or call 522-9200.