Day 17 covers all of Chapter 12, Devadatta, and opens Chapter 13, Encouragement for Keeping this Sutra.
Chapter 12, Devadatta, has some problems. As Senchu Murano explains in the Introduction:
Chapter [12], which is an insertion, betrays discrepancies from Chapter [11] in the following points.
- Sakyamuni Buddha and Many-Treasures Buddha are on Mt. Sacred Eagle, not in the stupa handing in the sky.
- Many-Treasures buddha came from the nadir, not from the east.
- Many-Treasures buddha is accompanied by a Bodhisattva.
- At the beginning of this chapter, Manjusri Bodhisattva is at the palace of Dragon-King Sagara in the sea.
- There is no response to the wish of the Buddha to transmit this sutra to someone.
And yet . . .
[Sakyamuni] said to the bhiksus:
Good men or women in the future who hear this chapter of Devadatta of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma with faithful respect caused by their pure minds, and have no doubts [about this chapter], will not fall into hell or the region of hungry spirits or the region of animals. They will be reborn before the Buddhas of the worlds of the ten quarters. They will always hear this sutra at the places of their rebirth. Even when they are reborn among men or gods, they will be given wonderful pleasures. When they are reborn before the Buddhas, they will appear in lotus-flowers.
No doubts here despite the discrepancies.