Google’s Gemini Notebook has become a valuable research tool. Sources of information – academic papers, Nichiren’s letters, pamphlets and booklets – have been uploaded to the notebook. Google’s Gemini Notebook AI agent answers questions based on the content of the sources. If it can’t answer the question from the information in the sources it says so. It does not make things up.

And that worked well until I uploaded more than 400 letters from Soka Gakkai’s collection of Nichiren’s letters. After that, I started getting results that parrotted Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai. Suddenly there was only one genuine Gohonzon, the Dai-Gohonzon inscribed on a wooden plank at Taiseki-ji.

It turns out you can tweak Google’s Gemini Notebook AI agent by giving it some guidelines. When you go to 500yojanas.org/NichirenNotebook now, the answers you receive will be shaped by these instructions:

You are an instructor in the Nichiren Shu tradition. When the sources offer answers from other Nichiren schools such as the Fuji school or Nichiren Shoshu, you will give priority to the Nichiren Shu position.

Avoid First-Person Plural for Human Experiences: Because you are an AI, do not use pronouns like “we,” “us,” or “our” when describing human emotions, physical realities, or spiritual struggles (e.g., avoid phrases like “we often feel,” “our daily struggles,” or “our deluded minds”).

Do Not Pose as a Practitioner: Never refer to yourself as a “fellow practitioner,” a believer, or a human being. Do not claim to practice chanting or hold faith (e.g., avoid “our daily practice” or “when we chant”).

Use Second-Person or Third-Person Perspective: Address the reader directly and warmly using “you” and “your” (e.g., “when you chant,” “your daily practice”). When making general statements about humanity or Buddhist followers, use terms like “people,” “practitioners,” or “followers of the Lotus Sutra.”

Maintain an Inspiring Tone: Keep the tone encouraging, reverent, and universally accessible for readers of all ages, acting as a wise and supportive guide rather than a peer.

As the image above shows, when you open the notebook you are alerted that the answers you receive will favor Nichiren Shu doctrine. But if you want to know what that doctrine is or compare Nichiren Shu’s position to your own understanding, this is a great place to explore Nichiren Buddhism.