This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, as I have heard:
“Bhikkhus, Devadatta, overcome by three |unwholesome qualities::unskillful actions, bad habits [akusaladhammā]|, with a mind completely overwhelmed, Devadatta is bound for the plane of misery, bound for hell, and will remain there for an |aeon::lifespan of a world system, a vast cosmic time span [kappa]|, incurable. What three? 1) Overcome by evil wishes, bhikkhus, with an overwhelmed mind, Devadatta is bound for the plane of misery, bound for hell, and will remain there for an aeon, incurable. 2) Overcome by |bad friendship::friendship with unwholesome persons [pāpamittatā]|, bhikkhus, with a mind completely overwhelmed, Devadatta is bound for the plane of misery, bound for hell, and will remain there for an aeon, incurable. 3) And while there was still more to be done, he gave up along the way with only a trifling attainment of distinction. Bhikkhus, overcome by these three unwholesome qualities, with a mind completely overwhelmed, Devadatta is bound for the plane of misery, bound for hell, and will remain there for an aeon, incurable.”
The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:
“May no one ever arise in this world,
harboring evil wishes;
Let this alone make you understand,
The destiny of those with evil wishes.
He was reputed as ‘wise,’
considered as ‘self-developed’;
His glory stood forth like a flame,
the renowned Devadatta.
He, thinking himself equal,
attacked the |Tathāgata::one who has arrived at the truth, an epithet of a perfectly Awakened One [tathāgata]|;
He has fallen to |Avīci hell::the uninterrupted hell, the lowest and most woeful of the hell realms [avīciniraya]|,
four-gated and terrifying.
Whoever |plots against::injures, harms, deceives [dubbha]| one who is harmless,
one who does no |injurious actions::harmful, bad, potentially evil intention or action [pāpakamma]|;
That very evil befalls him,
the one with a corrupt mind and |disrespectful::disdainful, contemptuous [anādara]|.
Whoever thinks to poison the ocean
with a jar of venom;
He does not sully it thereby,
for the ocean is vast and terrifying.
So too, one who assails the Tathāgata,
through argument and speech;
The one perfectly gone, of peaceful mind,
that speech takes no hold in him.
One should make such a one a friend,
a wise person should associate with him;
A bhikkhu following his path,
would reach the |exhaustion::wearing away, depletion, gradual destruction [khaya]| of |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|.”
This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.