Day 16 concludes Chapter 11, Beholding the Stupa of Treasures, and completes the Fourth Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.

Last month covered the preparations for and the arrival of the replicas of Sakyamuni Buddha. Once seated, these Buddhas dispatched representatives to greet Sakyamuni.

Thereupon one of the Buddhas on the lion-like seats under the jeweled trees, wishing to inquire after Sakyamuni Buddha, gave a handful of jeweled flowers to his attendant, and said to him, [wishing to] dispatch him:

Good man! Go to Sakyamuni Buddha who is now living on Mt. Grdhrakuta! Ask him on my behalf, ‘Are you in good health? Are you peaceful? Are the Bodhisattvas and Sravakas peaceful or not?’ Strew these jeweled flowers to him, offer them to him, and say, ‘That Buddha sent me to tell you that he wishes to see the stiipa of treasmes opened.’

All the other Buddhas also dispatched their attendants in the same way.

The Daily Dharma from Dec. 5, 2016, offers this analysis:

“Good man! Go to Śākyamuni Buddha who is now living on Mt. Gṛdhrakūṭa! Ask him on my behalf, ‘Are you in good health? Are you peaceful? Are the Bodhisattvas and Śrāvakas peaceful or not?’ Strew these jeweled flowers to him, offer them to him, and say, ‘That Buddha sent me to tell you that he wishes to see the stūpa of treasures opened.’“