Writings

What Ru Shi Writes

Whatever comes to mind. Sometimes a story I read, sometimes something that came to me while holding my mala beads.

All Writings

Summer Solstice: My Mom Said Your Fire Is Trapped Inside
wellness

Summer Solstice: My Mom Said Your Fire Is Trapped Inside

Blisters in my mouth, can't sleep at night, irritable all day. My mom said it's "heart fire." An ordinary person tries living by the seasons for a few days and discovers the ancient wisdom isn't mysticism at all.

6/21/20269 min
You Are Not the Fish: Standing on the Bridge Over the Hao River
Insights

You Are Not the Fish: Standing on the Bridge Over the Hao River

Zhuangzi said the fish were happy. Huizi said you are not a fish. Standing on the bridge, I finally understood: between compassion and wisdom, there is a bridge.

6/7/20269 min
The Day Vimalakīrti Got Sick: A Layman's Silence Left Every Bodhisattva Speechless
Buddhist Notes

The Day Vimalakīrti Got Sick: A Layman's Silence Left Every Bodhisattva Speechless

I opened a sūtra that had been sitting on my shelf for over a year. Inside was the story of a lay practitioner — someone with a family and a business, who nevertheless possessed wisdom so deep that even the Buddha's greatest disciples were afraid to visit him when he fell ill.

4/29/202612 min
The Raft Parable: The Buddha's Ultimate Teaching on Letting Go
Buddhist Notes

The Raft Parable: The Buddha's Ultimate Teaching on Letting Go

Through the story of a traveler and a bamboo raft, the Buddha revealed the ultimate wisdom of practice—the Dharma is like a raft: after crossing the river, you need not carry it.

4/16/202612 min
The Blind Man's Lantern: Lighting the Way for Others Is Lighting the Way for Yourself
Buddhist Notes

The Blind Man's Lantern: Lighting the Way for Others Is Lighting the Way for Yourself

A blind man carries a lantern at night. Not to see for himself, but to let others see him. Helping others is helping yourself — this ancient wisdom still shines today.

4/15/20267 min
The Surangama Sutra and Modern Life: Reclaiming Your Stolen Attention
Insights

The Surangama Sutra and Modern Life: Reclaiming Your Stolen Attention

The Surangama Sutra teaches: When the wild mind suddenly stops, that stopping is awakening. In an age of stolen attention, 2,500-year-old wisdom offers the most precise answer.

4/14/202620 min
The Ksitigarbha Sutra: The "Warmest" Buddhist Scripture and Why It Resonates So Deeply
Insights

The Ksitigarbha Sutra: The "Warmest" Buddhist Scripture and Why It Resonates So Deeply

The Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra is perhaps the most moving text in all of Buddhism. His vow — "I will not become a Buddha until all hells are empty" — represents the deepest compassion imaginable. It is not only about death and the afterlife; it is wisdom about how to live, how to love, and how to never give up.

4/10/202622 min
The Heart Sutra in Daily Life: Wisdom in 260 Words
Buddhist Notes

The Heart Sutra in Daily Life: Wisdom in 260 Words

The Heart Sutra contains only 260 characters yet condenses the complete essence of Buddhist wisdom. This article interprets the sutra line by line and explores how to apply its wisdom in daily life.

4/9/202611 min
Huineng: The Illiterate Sixth Patriarch of Zen
Buddhist Notes

Huineng: The Illiterate Sixth Patriarch of Zen

Huineng could not read a single character, yet became the greatest Zen patriarch in Chinese history. From woodcutter to Zen master, his story shows that true wisdom transcends knowledge and awakening is here and now.

4/9/202611 min
The Noble Eightfold Path: Eight Steps to Liberation
Buddhist Notes

The Noble Eightfold Path: Eight Steps to Liberation

The Noble Eightfold Path is the Buddha's prescription for liberation, consisting of eight dimensions across wisdom, ethics, and concentration. This article explains each aspect and how to practice them in modern life.

4/9/202610 min
Karma and Cause-Effect: The Buddhist Worldview
Buddhist Notes

Karma and Cause-Effect: The Buddhist Worldview

Karma is not fatalism but a natural law about actions and consequences. This article clarifies common misconceptions, explores the relationship between karma and free will, and how to apply this wisdom in daily life.

4/9/202610 min
Have Some Tea: The Three-Word Wisdom of Zhaozhou
Zen Stories

Have Some Tea: The Three-Word Wisdom of Zhaozhou

No matter who you are, no matter what you ask, Zen master Zhaozhou's answer is always the same: "Have some tea." Three simple words that contain the essence of Zen.

4/8/202615 min
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