[373] Dwelling at Sāvatthī … There the Blessed One … said this:
"Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements (dhātu) that beings come together and unite: those without faith come together and unite with those without faith; those without moral shame come together and unite with those without moral shame; those without fear of wrongdoing come together and unite with those without fear of wrongdoing; those of little learning come together and unite with those of little learning; the lazy come together and unite with the lazy; those of muddled mindfulness come together and unite with those of muddled mindfulness; those of weak wisdom come together and unite with those of weak wisdom.
"In the past too, bhikkhus, it was by way of elements that beings came together and united: those without faith came together and united with those without faith; those without moral shame came together and united with those without moral shame; those without fear of wrongdoing came together and united with those without fear of wrongdoing; those of little learning came together and united with those of little learning; the lazy came together and united with the lazy; those of muddled mindfulness came together and united with those of muddled mindfulness; those of weak wisdom came together and united with those of weak wisdom.
"In the future too, bhikkhus, it will be by way of elements that beings will come together and unite: those without faith will come together and unite with those without faith; those without moral shame will come together and unite with those without moral shame; those without fear of wrongdoing with those without fear of wrongdoing … those of little learning with those of little learning … the lazy with the lazy … those of muddled mindfulness with those of muddled mindfulness … those of weak wisdom will come together and unite with those of weak wisdom.
"Now too, bhikkhus, in the present time, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite: those without faith come together and unite with those without faith; those without moral shame with those without moral shame … those without fear of wrongdoing with those without fear of wrongdoing … those of little learning with those of little learning … the lazy with the lazy … those of muddled mindfulness with those of muddled mindfulness … those of weak wisdom come together and unite with those of weak wisdom."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.