with Verses

THUS have I heard.
On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.
Then the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:
"Brethren."
"Yes, lord," replied those brethren to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
Through an element it is, brethren,
that beings flow together,
meet together.
Beings of low tastes
flow together,
meet together
with them of low tastes.
In the past, brethren, through an element it was,
that beings flowed together,
met together.
Beings of low tastes
flowed together,
met together
with them of low tastes.
In the future, brethren, through an element it will be,
that beings flow together,
meet together.
Beings of low tastes
will flow together,
meet together
with them of low tastes.
In the present, brethren, through an element it is,
that beings flow together,
meet together.
Beings of low tastes
flow together,
meet together
with them of low tastes.
Just, brethren, as muck flows together,
meets together with muck,
urine with urine,
pus with pus,
blood with blood,
through an element it is, brethren,
that beings flow together,
meet together.
Beings of low tastes
flow together,
meet together
with them of low tastes.
In the past, brethren, through an element it was,
that beings flowed together,
met together.
Beings of low tastes
flowed together,
met together
with them of low tastes.
In the future, brethren, through an element it will be,
that beings flow together,
meet together.
Beings of low tastes
will flow together,
meet together
with them of low tastes.
In the present, brethren, through an element it is,
that beings flow together,
meet together.
Beings of low tastes
flow together,
meet together
with them of low tastes.


[110] Through an element it is, brethren,
that beings flow together,
meet together.
They of virtuous tastes
flow together,
meet together
with them of virtuous tastes.
In the past, brethren, through an element it was,
that beings flowed together,
met together.
Beings of virtuous tastes
flowed together,
met together
with them of virtuous tastes.
In the future, brethren, through an element it will be,
that beings flow together,
meet together.
Beings of virtuous tastes
will flow together,
meet together
with them of virtuous tastes.
In the present, brethren, through an element it is,
that beings flow together,
meet together.
Beings of virtuous tastes
flow together,
meet together
with them of virtuous tastes.
Just, brethren, as milk flows together,
meets together with milk,
oil with oil,
ghee with ghee,
honey with honey,
molasses with molasses,
even so through an element it is, brethren,
that beings flow together,
meet together.
They of virtuous tastes
flow together,
meet together
with them of virtuous tastes.
In the past, brethren, through an element it was,
that beings flowed together,
met together.
Beings of virtuous tastes
flowed together,
met together
with them of virtuous tastes.
In the future, brethren, through an element it will be,
that beings flow together,
meet together.
Beings of virtuous tastes
will flow together,
meet together
with them of virtuous tastes.
In the present, brethren, through an element it is,
that beings flow together,
meet together.
Beings of virtuous tastes
flow together,
meet together
with them of virtuous tastes.
This said the Exalted One.
The Well-farer so saying,
the Master said this yet further:-
Lust's jungle, of association born,
By not associating is cut down.
As one who, mounted on a puny plank,
Is in mid-ocean whelmed beneath the waves,
So even he of blameless life doth sink
When thrown together with the man of sloth.
Wherefore from such let him keep well apart -
The sluggard and the poor in energy.
Let him consort with those who live aloof,
With noble, eager, contemplative souls,
With men of constant quickened energies,
Yea, let him hold communion with the wise.