Dec. 8 marks the celebration of Bodhi Day in Japanese Buddhism. Bodhi means enlightenment or awakening in Sanskrit. It commemorates the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Buddha.

The term "Enlightenment," rooted in an intellectual skepticism to traditional beliefs and dogmas, denotes an "illumined" contrast to the supposed dark and superstitious character of the Middle Ages.

Enlightenment, the ultimate form of connection with the divine, and of course, inner peace, is hard to achieve. Only a select few are able to achieve enlightenment, leave their desires of the ...