I asked Google Gemini to illustrate this Daily Dharma:
The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones,
Say only expediently [that some are not Bodhisattvas]
To tell the truth,
All living beings taught by them are Bodhisattvas.
This verse comes from Chapter Three of the Lotus Sūtra. In Chapter Two, the Buddha declared that he only teaches Bodhisattvas. If we believe that we are not Bodhisattvas, we could conclude that the Buddha does not teach us. Part of what the Buddha is explaining here is that we are all Bodhisattvas. The way to reach the Buddha’s enlightenment is by living as Bodhisattvas: beings whose every breath is intended to improve our world.
I got this response:
I checked the Kanji text in Google Lens:
That didn’t make any sense so I asked Nano Banana, the image editor in Google’s Gemini, to translate the text. Nano Banana said:
The text on the scroll is in traditional Chinese/Japanese characters.
Reading from right to left, the large characters are: 佛感天和跡聖帝 (Fó gǎn tiān hé jī shèng dì)
The smaller characters on the left are: 千年廣繪画 (Qiān nián guǎng huì huà)
A direct translation is roughly:
佛感天和跡聖帝: Buddha feels Heaven, Harmony, and the Traces of the Sacred Emperors.
千年廣繪画: Thousand-Year Vast Painting (likely the artist’s signature or title).
That didn’t make any sense either, so I told Nano Banana to remove the text and the scroll.
The Nano Banana shows its thinking as it works:
Erasing and Replacing
I’m focusing on removing the scroll and text from the image. The aim is to seamlessly integrate traditional Japanese cloud and wave patterns in their place. Right now, I’m working with the original and figuring out the best way to extract the patterns needed.
Defining the Edits
I’m now zeroing in on the specific elements to remove: the scroll and all text. I’ve pinpointed the exact content that needs erasure, including the wooden components and the characters. The main focus is reconstructing the area where the scroll was to flawlessly incorporate the surrounding stylistic elements. The figures above must remain untouched.
Analyzing Image Accuracy
I’m currently verifying the image against the initial user instructions. My focus is on ensuring the complete removal of the scroll and its calligraphy as specified in the prompt. I’m carefully reviewing the background reconstruction to ensure it’s consistent with the original art style and meets the requirements.
Reviewing Background Elements
I’m now carefully examining the background reconstruction to confirm the consistency of the wave patterns and cloud formations with the original style. The prompt’s requirement for complete scroll removal has also been fulfilled; the text and scroll are entirely absent. I’m focusing on ensuring every detail meets the specified criteria.
The product of this work:
I really didn’t understand the illustration, so, hoping for something different, I asked Nano Banana:
Focus the illustration on showing that all people who follow the Buddha are Bodhisattvas
As Nano Banana worked, it said:
Modifying the Bodhisattvas
I’m working on transforming the original illustration by depicting all the figures, including the men, women, and children, as luminous Bodhisattvas. The goal is to evolve the initial image into a representation of enlightened beings.
Enhancing Divine Aura
I’m now focusing on transforming the human figures at the ground level into Bodhisattvas. They will wear robes, crowns, and have halos, floating on lotus clouds. Animals will also receive glowing symbols. The goal is to enhance the overall golden light and divine energy to emphasize the transformation, while keeping the Ukiyo-e style and aged paper texture.
Evaluating Abstract Symbolism
I’m currently focused on the image’s symbolic representation. The model successfully conveyed the abstract notion of Bodhisattvas through the use of lotus thrones, signifying enlightenment. This visual element aligns well with the user’s intent. The interpretation of ‘showing that all people who follow the Buddha are Bodhisattvas’ is clear.
Analyzing Symbolic Placement
I’ve examined how the model has visualized the user’s intent to represent the idea that all followers of the Buddha are Bodhisattvas. The placement of all figures on lotus thrones is key. This directly addresses the prompt, conveying the abstract concept through strong symbolism. The alignment of the visual elements with the intended message is very good.
The result:
I gave up and published this version of the illustration.
In dealing with Google’s Gemini it is important to get the “prompt’ – the instructions – right. After publishing the day’s illustration, I went back to see if I could write a prompt that would generate a better illustration.
After starting a new session of my Illustrated Daily Dharma gem on Gemini, I submitted this prompt.
Special instruction: Focus this image on the line ” Part of what the Buddha is explaining here is that we are all Bodhisattvas. The way to reach the Buddha’s enlightenment is by living as Bodhisattvas: beings whose every breath is intended to improve our world.”
Source text: The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones,
Say only expediently [that some are not Bodhisattvas]
To tell the truth,
All living beings taught by them are Bodhisattvas.
This verse comes from Chapter Three of the Lotus Sūtra. In Chapter Two, the Buddha declared that he only teaches Bodhisattvas. If we believe that we are not Bodhisattvas, we could conclude that the Buddha does not teach us. Part of what the Buddha is explaining here is that we are all Bodhisattvas. The way to reach the Buddha’s enlightenment is by living as Bodhisattvas: beings whose every breath is intended to improve our world.
As Nano Banana worked, it explained:
Considering Theme & Scope
I’m currently focused on the overarching theme and scope for this illustration. I’ve distilled the core message down to the concept of universal Bodhisattvahood and compassionate action as the path to enlightenment. Now I’m working on specific imagery elements.
Formulating the Visuals
My current focus is on the visual details. I’m exploring how to represent the concept of “all beings as Bodhisattvas” through diverse figures in a Japanese Buddhist art style, maybe ukiyo-e. I’m also considering how to depict the “breath” of compassionate action flowing into a central, glowing world. I’m trying to figure out how to best integrate the text and quote.
Evaluating Visual Fidelity
I’m checking the image against the user’s instructions. The square format seems fitting for Instagram. It incorporates the “Bodhisattvas” message and the source text. There’s an effort to depict people breathing intention, though this needs further refinement.
Confirming Image Integration
I’m confirming the image’s alignment with the user’s intent. The square dimension is ideal for the intended platform. The graphic successfully conveys the “Bodhisattvas” message alongside the cited text. The visualization of people breathing intention is a strong element that enhances the central concept. It appears to meet all the criteria.
And the result:
This was worse than the original. I asked Nano Banana to explain the central figure in the image.
With pleasure. Here is an explanation of the central figure in this illustration.
The Embodiment of Compassion: The Bodhisattva
The radiant, multi-armed figure at the heart of this illustration is a Bodhisattva (known in Japanese as a Bosatsu).
In Mahayana Buddhism, a Bodhisattva is an awakened being who, motivated by great compassion (bodhicitta), vows to attain supreme enlightenment not just for themselves, but for the sake of liberating all sentient beings from suffering.
While they share many attributes with a Buddha, Bodhisattvas in Japanese iconography are typically depicted wearing crowns, jewelry, and flowing celestial scarves—resembling Indian royalty—rather than the simple monastic robes of a Buddha. This signifies that they remain connected to the world to help us, rather than having departed into final Nirvana.
Specific Iconography in this Image:
Given the theme of universal compassion and the visual cues, this figure is highly likely a representation of Kannon Bosatsu (Avalokiteśvara in Sanskrit), the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion, who is one of the most beloved figures in East Asian Buddhism.
The Multiple Arms: Kannon is often depicted with many arms (sometimes eleven, sometimes a thousand). In this eight-armed form, the multitude of limbs symbolizes their immense capacity and “skillful means” to reach out and assist countless suffering beings simultaneously, using the appropriate tool or method for each situation.
The Lotus Pedestal: The figure stands upon a blooming lotus. The lotus is a paramount symbol in Buddhism; it roots in the mud at the bottom of a pond but rises to bloom, pristine and untouched, above the water. This symbolizes the Bodhisattva remaining in the “mud” of samsara (the cycle of suffering) to help others, while their mind remains pure and undefiled.
The Halo and Position: The golden halo and their elevated position above the globe establish them as an enlightened archetype. They are the ideal model of compassion that the text encourages us to emulate.
The Figure’s Role in the Composition:
This central Bodhisattva acts as the visual anchor for the text excerpt from the Lotus Sūtra.
The illustration suggests that this magnificent, divine being is not fundamentally different from the ordinary monks, villagers, and children standing below. The central figure is the realization of the potential that lies within the people below.
As the text states, “We are all Bodhisattvas.” The central figure shows us the perfection of that state—a being whose entire existence, whose “every breath,” is dedicated to healing the world depicted beneath their feet.
For years I worked with illustrators – actual people who drew artwork – to illustrate opinion pieces on the Opinion Pages of The Sacramento Bee. Looking back, I realize I didn’t have any more luck with the real people then than I did today with an AI agent named Nano Banana. There’s just no forcing art.
