Thus I have heard:
One time, the Budha was dwelling in Raajagriha at the bamboo Grove of Karanda, together with a great assembly of five hundred bhikshus.
At that time, Bhagavaan addressed the Bhikshus:
“What do you think, O Bhikshus? Has anyone seen any pure dharma in Devadata?
Yet Devadata’s evil is profound and heavy, suffering retribution for kalpas beyond cure.
In my Dharma, not even a hair’s breadth of good can be found worthy of mention. Therefore, I now declare Devadata’s crimes to be fundamentally incurable.
It is like a man fallen into a deep cesspit, his body completely submerged without a single clean spot. Someone wishing to save him searches carefully around the pit and his body for a clean place to grasp and pull him out, but finding none, gives up and leaves.
Similarly, O Bhikshus! I observe this foolish Devadata – not a speck of wholesome dharma can be found in him, suffering for kalpas beyond remedy.
Why? Because Devadata, foolish and single-minded, obsessively craved offerings, committed the five heinous crimes, and after death was reborn in evil realms.
Thus, O Bhikshus! Material gain’s weight bars the way to peace.
Therefore, O Bhikshus! Discard arisen greed for gain; prevent its arising; if unarisen, prevent its arising. Thus should you train.”
When the bhikshus heard what the Budha said, they followed it with joy.