Beings come together and associate based on disposition. The faithless come together and associate with the faithless, and other pairs of dispositions are mentioned.

SN 14.18  Assaddhamūlaka sutta - Beginning With Faithless

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthi.

“Dhātusova, bhikkhave, sattā saṁsandanti samenti. Assaddhā assaddhehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; ahirikā ahirikehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; duppaññā duppaññehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; saddhā saddhehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; hirimanā hirimanehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; paññavanto paññavantehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti.

“Bhikkhus, beings come together and associate |according to disposition::in line with their mental qualities or inclinations [dhātuso]|. The |faithless::without confidence, without conviction [assaddha]| come together and associate with the faithless; the |unashamed::shameless, without conscience [ahirika]| come together and associate with the unashamed; the |undiscerning::without wisdom [duppañña]| come together and associate with the undiscerning; the |faithful::confident, believing, devoted, trusting [saddha]| come together and associate with the faithful; the |conscientious::honorable [hirimana]| come together and associate with the conscientious; the |wise::discerning, percipient [paññavant]| come together and associate with the wise.

Atītampi kho, bhikkhave, addhānaṁ dhātusova sattā saṁsandiṁsu samiṁsu; ahirikā ahirikehi saddhiṁ saṁsandiṁsu samiṁsu; duppaññā duppaññehi saddhiṁ saṁsandiṁsu samiṁsu; saddhā saddhehi saddhiṁ saṁsandiṁsu samiṁsu; hirimanā hirimanehi saddhiṁ saṁsandiṁsu samiṁsu; paññavanto paññavantehi saddhiṁ saṁsandiṁsu samiṁsu.

Even in the past, bhikkhus, beings came together and associated according to disposition. The faithless came together and associated with the faithless; the unashamed came together and associated with the unashamed; the undiscerning came together and associated with the undiscerning; the faithful came together and associated with the faithful; the conscientious came together and associated with the conscientious; the wise came together and associated with the wise.

Anāgatampi kho, bhikkhave, addhānaṁ dhātusova sattā saṁsandissanti samessanti; assaddhā assaddhehi saddhiṁ saṁsandissanti samessanti; ahirikā ahirikehi saddhiṁ saṁsandissanti samessanti; duppaññā duppaññehi saddhiṁ saṁsandissanti samessanti; saddhā saddhehi saddhiṁ saṁsandissanti samessanti; hirimanā hirimanehi saddhiṁ saṁsandissanti samessanti; paññavanto paññavantehi saddhiṁ saṁsandissanti samessanti.

Even in the future, bhikkhus, beings will come together and associate according to disposition. The faithless will come together and associate with the faithless; the unashamed will come together and associate with the unashamed; the unwise will come together and associate with the unwise; the faithful will come together and associate with the faithful; the conscientious will come together and associate with the conscientious; the wise will come together and associate with the wise.

Etarahipi kho, bhikkhave, paccuppannaṁ addhānaṁ dhātusova sattā saṁsandanti samenti. Assaddhā assaddhehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; ahirikā ahirikehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti, duppaññā duppaññehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; saddhā saddhehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; hirimanā hirimanehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; paññavanto paññavantehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samentīti.

Even now, bhikkhus, at the present time, beings come together and associate according to disposition. The faithless come together and associate with the faithless; the unashamed come together and associate with the unashamed; the undiscerning come together and associate with the undiscerning; the faithful come together and associate with the faithful; the conscientious come together and associate with the conscientious; the wise come together and associate with the wise.

Dhātusova, bhikkhave, sattā saṁsandanti samenti. Assaddhā assaddhehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; anottappino anottappīhi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; duppaññā duppaññehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; saddhā saddhehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; ottappino ottappīhi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; paññavanto paññavantehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti …pe…

Bhikkhus, beings come together and associate according to disposition. The faithless come together and associate with the faithless; the |morally reckless::fearlessness of wrongdoing, lack of prudence [anottappa]| come together and associate with the morally reckless; the undiscerning come together and associate with the undiscerning; the faithful come together and associate with the faithful; those with |fear of wrongdoing::with moral dread, respect for others [ottappa]| come together and associate with those with fear of wrongdoing; the wise come together and associate with the wise.

paṭhamavāro viya vitthāretabbo.

[Should be expanded like the first round.]

Dhātusova, bhikkhave …pe… assaddhā assaddhehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; appassutā appassutehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; duppaññā duppaññehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; saddhā saddhehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; bahussutā bahussutehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti, paññavanto paññavantehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti …pe….

Bhikkhus, beings come together and associate according to disposition. The faithless come together and associate with the faithless; the |little learned::ignorant, uneducated [appassuta]| come together and associate with the little learned; the undiscerning come together and associate with the undiscerning; the faithful come together and associate with the faithful; the |very learned::well educated, knowledgeable [bahussuta]| come together and associate with the very learned; the wise come together and associate with the wise.

Dhātusova, bhikkhave …pe… assaddhā assaddhehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; kusītā kusītehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; duppaññā duppaññehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; saddhā saddhehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; āraddhavīriyā āraddhavīriyehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; paññavanto paññavantehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti …pe….

Bhikkhus, beings come together and associate according to disposition. The faithless come together and associate with the faithless; the |lazy::procrastinating, inactive person, indolent [kusīta]| come together and associate with the lazy; the undiscerning come together and associate with the undiscerning; the faithful come together and associate with the faithful; those |with energy aroused::with initiative [āraddhavīriya]| come together and associate with those with energy aroused; the wise come together and associate with the wise.

Dhātusova, bhikkhave …pe… assaddhā assaddhehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; muṭṭhassatino muṭṭhassatīhi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; duppaññā duppaññehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; saddhā saddhehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; upaṭṭhitassatino upaṭṭhitassatīhi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; paññavanto paññavantehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samentī”ti …pe….

Bhikkhus, beings come together and associate according to disposition. The faithless come together and associate with the faithless; the |unmindful::forgetful, muddle-minded [muṭṭhassatī]| come together and associate with the unmindful; the undiscerning come together and associate with the undiscerning; the faithful come together and associate with the faithful; those |attending mindfully::wth presence of mind [upaṭṭhitassatī]| come together and associate with those attending mindfully; the wise come together and associate with the wise.”

Last updated on December 16, 2025