LAHAINA – Professor Soho Machida, a prominent religion scholar, will give a free public lecture titled “Buddhism as the Source of Inspiration for Life” on Saturday, Feb. 4, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Lahaina Jodo Mission, 12 Ala Moana St.

Professor Machida teaches at Hiroshima University and serves as director for the Center for Ecological Peace Studies.

He has a Master’s Degree from Harvard University School of Divinity and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Machida has taught at Princeton University, the National University of Singapore and Tokyo University.

He is the author of “Renegade Monk, Can Mankind Overcome Religion?” and “Why Religion Prevents Peace.”

His lecture is open to all. For more information, call 661-4304.