Each morning for the past six days I’ve asked Google’s Gemini to create an illustration based on the text of the Daily Dharma sent by zenzaizenzai.com. I’ve been refining the workflow, but in general it has become a simple task.
Until this morning.
I asked Gemini to illustrate this text:
What does the doctrine of spiritual contemplation mean? It means the way of practicing the teaching of the Buddha according to the intent of the Buddha, not necessarily according to what is literally said in the sutra. Suppose there is a man during the time of a famine who offers to the Buddha the only food he has to stay alive for a day. This is the same as offering his life to the Buddha.
Nichiren wrote this passage in his Treatise on Phenomenal and Noumenal Offering (Jiri Kuyō Gosho). The Lotus Sūtra is the highest teaching because it encompasses all beings in all worlds, assuring everyone that they can rid themselves of delusion and reach the Buddha’s enlightenment. The Buddha showed that the universe is constantly changing, even from one moment to the next. When we read the Lotus Sūtra, and allow our minds to become more like the Buddha mind, we learn the meaning behind the words and put that into practice. We do not merely go through the motions mechanically. We understand that calamities are opportunities for us to bring the Buddha’s teaching to life, and that whatever prosperity we gain does not belong to us alone. Whatever we have is for the benefit of all beings.
The illustration I received from Gemini:
I have decades of experience selecting artwork to illustrate articles. That was one of my jobs during my career as a newspaper editor. This illustration puzzled me.
Using the Google Lens app on my phone I translated the text as saying, “Protect the Unique.” I then asked Google Lens to explain the statue, 
only to learn this was a representation of Amida Buddha. The app said, “The standing posture often represents the Buddha descending from the heavens to welcome devotees to his paradise. The hand gesture, or mudra, with the right hand raised and the palm facing outward, is known as the abhayada-mudra, which bestows fearlessness. The left hand, with the palm facing outward and downwards, forms the varada-mudra, representing compassion.
As a Nichiren Buddhist I’m not going to use a statue of Amida Buddha to illustrate the Daily Dharma, let alone a quote that doesn’t appear to relate. I went back to Gemini and told it to focus the illustration on the line: The Lotus Sūtra is the highest teaching because it encompasses all beings in all worlds, assuring everyone that they can rid themselves of delusion and reach the Buddha’s enlightenment.
That prompt produced the image I used today:
As an editor, I don’t like this image as much as earlier ones. It relies too heavily on words to explain its meaning. A good illustration shouldn’t need words.
I expect to have this happen again in the future and I’ll handle it the same way. But the story doesn’t end here. I went back to Google Gemini to see if it could explain why it produced that original illustration.
I uploaded the illustration to Gemini and asked:
Explain the symbolism of this image in detail and explain the story the illustrator was trying to tell.
Gemini responded:
This image is a rich tapestry of Buddhist iconography and ethical teaching. It illustrates a core tenet of Mahayana Buddhism: that the “sincerity and sacrifice” behind an act are far more spiritually significant than the material value of the gift itself.
The illustrator is telling a story of “ultimate devotion,” specifically highlighting the concept of Dana (generosity) practiced to its highest degree.
1. Key Symbols and Their Meanings
The image uses several classical Buddhist symbols to ground the story in spiritual tradition:
The Bodhi Tree: The monk sits beneath a tree with heart-shaped leaves, representing the tree under which Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment. This signifies that the scene is one of high spiritual realization and truth.
The Lotus Flowers: Emerging from clouds and water, the lotus symbolizes “purity and rebirth.” Even in the “mud” of a famine or suffering, a beautiful, pure act of devotion can bloom.
The Golden Buddha: The glowing figure in the background represents the “Triple Gem” (the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha). The rays of light (auras) signify the boundless compassion and wisdom that witness the man’s sacrifice.
The Scroll and the Monk: The monk represents the preservation of the teachings. He is a witness to the man’s karma.
The Bowl of Rice: In the context of a famine, this is not just food; it is a “biological lifeline.” By offering it, the man is physically divesting himself of his means of survival.
2. The Narrative: Sacrifice and Sincerity
The story being told is a classic Buddhist parable (similar to the story of the “Poor Woman’s Lamp” or the “Offering of the Hare”).
- The Contrast of Form
- The illustrator creates a sharp visual contrast between the monk (who looks healthy, serene, and well-clothed) and the poor man (who is skeletal, wearing rags, and barefoot). This emphasizes that the man is giving from a place of “lack” rather than “abundance.”
- The “Life” Offering
- The text at the bottom is the key to the story: “This is the same as offering his life.” In Buddhist philosophy, the merit of an action is determined by the intention (cetana).
If a king gives a thousand gold coins, it is a great gift.
If a starving man gives his last bowl of rice, he has given everything.
The illustrator is showing that this man has transcended his fear of death and his attachment to his own body. By feeding the “Buddha” (or the Sangha) instead of himself, he has achieved a state of selflessness that is the precursor to Enlightenment.
3. Analysis of the Text
The vertical Japanese/Chinese text in the center reads 「唯道のを守る」 (roughly: “Only protecting/keeping the Way”). This reinforces the idea that the man’s act is not just charity, but a strict adherence to the spiritual path (the Way), even when faced with the ultimate personal cost.
Summary of the Illustrator’s Message
The illustrator is teaching the viewer that “true spirituality is found in the depth of one’s sacrifice.” The image serves as a “contemplation” piece to make the viewer ask: “What am I willing to let go of for the sake of what is holy?”
Note that, from Gemini’s perspective, none of this has anything to do with Pure Land teaching or Amida Buddha, which were my primary concern.
I went back to Gemini again. This time I asked:
The statement: “Suppose there is a man during the time of a famine who offers to the Buddha the only food he has to stay alive for a day. This is the same as offering his life to the Buddha.”
Where could I expect to find this statement — what teaching, whose teaching?
Gemini responded:
This statement is a central teaching of Nichiren Daishonin (1222–1282), the 13th-century Japanese Buddhist priest who founded Nichiren Buddhism.
Specifically, you can find this passage in one of his letters (known as Gosho) titled “The Gift of Rice” (Hakumai-ippo-sho).
The Source and Context
Nichiren wrote this letter while living in extreme poverty and isolation on Mount Minobu. During this time, he and his disciples often faced starvation and harsh winters. The letter was written as a thank-you note to a follower who had sent him a gift of polished rice, yams, and other food.
In the letter, Nichiren writes:
“…in a time of famine, offering the food that is the only means for sustaining one’s life that day to the Buddha is offering one’s life to the Buddha.” — The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, p. 1126
Key Concepts in This Teaching
Nichiren uses this statement to explain how ordinary people can attain enlightenment. He distinguishes between two types of offerings:
- Offering in Actuality
- This refers to the legendary stories of ancient sages and bodhisattvas who literally gave up their bodies or lives for the Law (e.g., the boy Snow Mountains who offered his life to a demon to hear a Buddhist verse).
- Offering in Principle
- This is the practice for ordinary people. Since most people cannot (and are not expected to) literally sacrifice their lives, Nichiren teaches that offering something vital to your own survival—like your last bit of food during a famine—is spiritually equivalent to offering your life.
- The Philosophy of “Earnest Resolve”
- The core message is that the sincerity of the heart (Japanese: kokorozashi) is what matters most in Buddhism.
- Life is the Foremost Treasure
- Nichiren explains that life is the most precious thing in the universe. Therefore, the food that sustains life is also a “treasure.”
- The Spirit of Contribution
- Giving from a place of abundance is easy, but giving from a place of personal lack (the “only food he has to stay alive”) represents the highest form of faith and “earnest resolve.”
- Equality of Benefit
- By making such a sincere offering, an ordinary person gains the same immense “fortune” or merit as the sages of old who performed literal physical sacrifices.
Note that I didn’t direct Gemini to focus on Nichiren or his teachings. This was its genuine view. This raises the question: Why didn’t the first illustration reflect this understanding?
Such is the peril of Using AI to Illustrate the Daily Dharma.
