Chapter 17 sets forth the four stages of faith of those who believe in the Lotus Sutra during the Buddha’s lifetime, and the five stages of practice for those who follow it after his death. The four stages of faith are:

“Those living beings who have heard that the lifetime of the Buddha is of such long duration and have been able to receive but one thought of faith and discernment—the merits they obtain . . . [will bel beyond [the merits of practicing] the five pāramitās.”

“If anyone hears of the duration of the Buddha’s lifetime and apprehends its meaning, the merit obtained by this man will be beyond limit and he will advance to the supreme wisdom of tathāgatas.”

“The one who is devoted to hearing this sutra, or causes others to hear it, or himself keeps it, or causes others to keep it, or himself copies it, or causes others to copy it, or . . . pays homage to the sutra; this man’s merit will be infinite and boundless and able to bring forth perfect knowledge.”

“If any good son or good daughter, hearing of my declaration of the duration of my lifetime, believes and discerns it in his inmost heart, such a one will see the Buddha always on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa preaching the Law. And he will see this Sahā-world whose land is lapis lazuli , it has towers, halls, and galleries all made of jewels, in which dwell together its bodhisattva host.”

The five stages of practice:

“If [anyone], after the extinction of the Tathāgata, hears this sutra, and does not defame but rejoices over it, you may know that he has had the sign of deep faith and discernment.”

“The one who reads and recites, receives and keeps [this sutra] – this man carries the Tathāgata on his head. Such a good son or good daughter need no more erect stupas, temples, or monasteries for me, nor make offerings of the four requisites to the monks.”

“If anyone after the extinction of the Tathāgata receives and keeps, reads and recites it, preaches it to others, either himself copies it or causes others to copy it, and pays homage to the sutra, he need no longer erect stupas and temples or build monasteries and make offerings to the monks.”

“He who is able to keep this sutra and add thereto [the six pāramitās . . . he will speedily reach perfect knowledge.”

“If anyone reads and recites, receives and keeps this sutra, preaches it to other people is able to … serve and extol the śrāvaka-monks … [and] is able to keep [the six pāramitās] those people … are near Perfect Enlightenment, sitting under the tree of enlightenment. … Wherever those good sons or good daughters sit or stand or walk in that place, [you] should erect a caitya [stupa without relics; stupa of the dharma]; all gods and men should pay homage to it as a Stupa of [the relics of] the Buddha.”