Using NotebookLM I’ve created a web page that lists all of the proper names found in the Threefold Lotus Sutra. See it here.
These names fall into six categories:
- Buddhas (past, present and future)
- Bodhisattvas
- Arhats, Bhikṣus, and Bhikṣunīs
- Gods, Mythical Beings, and Rākṣasīs
- Kings, Princes, and Human Figures
- Places, Realms, and Mountains
Each name includes the English translation, the Sanskrit, the Japanese, the Entity Type (Buddha, God, etc.), the sutra in which the name appears (for Lotus Sutra names the chapter is noted), and notes. For the future buddhas, the person who received the prediction is found in the notes. The English translations are listed in this order: Murano, Reeves, Watson and Hurvitz.
This list was not as easy to prepare as it should have been. In theory, NotebookLM can read all of the proper names in each sutra, organized them and output the entire list in a spreadsheet. The problem was that I learned I could not trust the output. When I asked Gemini to review NotebookLM’s work, it found several errors and omissions. After Gemini fixed those, I asked NotebookLM to review the list. NotebookLM found inconsistences in Gemini’s work.
Working from what I thought was a master list, I had Gemini create a web page to display the list. I then had NotebookLM check it, asking: Check the website Nomenclature Concordance of the Threefold Lotus Sutra for errors or omissions from the lists of proper names gathered in this notebook.
That prompt found three more inconsistencies. I fixed those, but I’m still not convince all of the errors have been found. I’m asking visitors to let me know if they notice any errors or omissions.