Beings come together and associate according to disposition. The unashamed come together and associate with the unashamed; and other pairs of dispositions are mentioned.

SN 14.19  Ahirikamūlaka sutta - Beginning With Unashamed

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthi.

“Dhātusova, bhikkhave, sattā saṁsandanti samenti. Ahirikā ahirikehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti, anottappino anottappīhi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti, duppaññā duppaññehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; hirimanā hirimanehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti, ottappino ottappīhi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti, paññavanto paññavantehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti …pe….

“Bhikkhus, beings come together and associate |according to disposition::in line with their mental qualities or inclinations [dhātuso]|. The |unashamed::shameless, without conscience [ahirika]| come together and associate with the unashamed; the |morally reckless::fearlessness of wrongdoing, lack of prudence [anottappa]| come together and associate with the morally reckless; the |undiscerning::without wisdom; lit. bad understanding [duppañña]| come together and associate with the undiscerning; the |conscientious::honorable [hirimana]| come together and associate with the conscientious; those |with fear of wrongdoing::with moral dread, respect for others [ottappa]| come together and associate with those with fear of wrongdoing; the |wise::discerning, percipient; lit. having the wisdom quality [paññavant]| come together and associate with the wise.

Ahirikā ahirikehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti, appassutā appassutehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti, duppaññā duppaññehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; hirimanā hirimanehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti, bahussutā bahussutehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti, paññavanto paññavantehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti …pe….

The unashamed come together and associate with the unashamed; the morally reckless come together and associate with the morally reckless; the undiscerning come together and associate with the undiscerning; the conscientious come together and associate with the conscientious; the |very learned::well educated, knowledgeable [bahussutā]| come together and associate with the very learned; the wise come together and associate with the wise.

Ahirikā ahirikehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti, kusītā kusītehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti, duppaññā duppaññehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti; hirimanā hirimanehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti, āraddhavīriyā āraddhavīriyehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti, paññavanto paññavantehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti …pe….

The unashamed come together and associate with the unashamed; the |unmindful::forgetful, muddle-minded [muṭṭhassatī]| come together and associate with the unmindful; the undiscerning come together and associate with the undiscerning; the conscientious come together and associate with the conscientious; those |attending mindfully::with presence of mind [upaṭṭhitassatī]| come together and associate with those attending mindfully; the wise come together and associate with the wise.”

Last updated on June 10, 2026