Buddha Day celebrates the birth of the Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, and the Kaua‘i Buddhist Council celebrated the occasion Sunday at Lihu‘e Hongwanji Mission.

The celebration of Buddha Day, or Siddhartha Gautama Sakyamuni’s birthday, is celebtrated on various dates by different streams of Buddhism, said Rev. Bruce Nakamura of Lihu‘e Hongwanji Mission in a release.

In most of Asia, Buddha Day is observed on the first full moon date of the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, or usually around May. In other parts of Asia, the day falls a month, or more, earlier.

While the Buddha’s birthday usually falls on the same day as Vesak, or the celebration of Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death, Korea starts a week-long celebration a week ahead of Vesak. Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar in the 19th Century and observes the Buddha’s birthday on April 8. Read the full story.

And here’s the latest in other neighbor isle gov’t and politics:

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Police station for Kihei nets funds; offices plan OK’d

Police evict activists from Wailoa River park

Water fees set to help Maui curb usage in shortage

Photo courtesy timniblett.

—Chad Blair