While residing at the Jetavana Monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha spoke this verse with reference to Devadatta.

While staying with the Buddha in Kosambi, Devadatta grew envious of the respect and offerings the Buddha received, and aspired to head the Order of monks himself.

He approached the Buddha, suggesting that since the Buddha was growing old, the Order be entrusted to his care. The Buddha refused and rebuked him as unworthy, and had the Sangha carry out a formal act of proclamation against him.

Aggrieved, Devadatta vowed vengeance and made three attempts on the Buddha's life: hiring archers, who instead became the Buddha's disciples; rolling a boulder down the Gijjhakuta hill, which only grazed the Buddha's toe; and inciting the elephant Nalagiri to attack him, which the Buddha calmed instead.

Failing to kill the Buddha, Devadatta then tried to split the Sangha by leading newly ordained monks away to Gayasisa, but Sariputta and Moggallana brought most of them back.

Devadatta later fell gravely ill for nine months. Wishing at last to see the Buddha, he asked his disciples to take him, but they refused, recalling his enmity.

Devadatta protested that although he had hated the Buddha, the Buddha had never harboured even the slightest hatred toward him, just as he showed an even temper toward the murderer Angulimala, the elephant Dhanapala, and Rahula alike.

But when Devadatta's litter arrived and he stepped down, his feet sank into the earth, and he was swallowed up and taken to the Avici Hell.