The other day, Laoshi mentioned out of the blue, "Sharing and reading are very important".

Startled, unsure whether I had heard correctly, I said "Reading?"

Laoshi: "Yes, reading."

The next day I remarked that in fact I have been reading two books, but with one in particular, the mind has to be different, not the regular logical frame of mind.

Laoshi: "Read from wisdom."

Me: "Wisdom?"

Laoshi mentioned a word which I didn't catch … something like

He said it was a Buddhist word. It would have crossed the mountains into Tibet and travelled North with the Mongolian trading caravans. I asked if he would write it in pinyin and send it in zoom chat, which laughingly he did: bo re.

Later with the help of the internet I found

般若

bō rě

wisdom / great wisdom / wondrous knowledge

from Pali paññā, from Sanskrit प्रज्ञा prajñā