Disclaimer: This translation does not guarantee complete accuracy, please confirm with the original page text.
## Adipurana: On the Types of Listeners
**Chapter 39:**
The fourteen types of listeners are: earth, sieve, goat, cat, parrot, heron, stone, snake, cow, swan, buffalo, broken pot, leech, and worm.
**Chapter 14:**
The listeners are classified as excellent, mediocre, and inferior.
**Chapter 14:**
Those resembling the cow and swan are considered excellent, those resembling the earth and parrot are considered mediocre, and all others are considered inferior.
**Chapter 142:**
The listeners who are like eyes, mirrors, scales, and touchstones, are considered the examiners of good and bad speech.
**Chapter 138:**
The above mentioned examples are used to illustrate the types of listeners.
**Explanation:**
(1) **Earth:** Just as earth remains soft when in contact with water but later becomes hard, similarly, listeners who are receptive during the discourse but become hard-hearted later are like earth.
(2) **Sieve:** Just as a sieve lets the essential flour fall through and retains the chaff, similarly, listeners who discard the essential teachings and retain only the superficial ones are like a sieve.
(3) **Goat:** Those who are extremely lustful and whose minds become filled with lustful thoughts during the discourse are like a goat.
(4) **Cat:** Just as a cat, despite receiving many teachings, does not abandon its violent nature and attacks the bird when it comes close, similarly, listeners who, despite being taught, do not abandon their cruelty and resort to it when the opportunity arises are like a cat.
(5) **Parrot:** Just as a parrot is ignorant and learns only by imitating others, similarly, listeners who are devoid of knowledge and learn only by listening to others are like a parrot.
(6) **Heron:** Those who appear virtuous on the outside but are extremely wicked inside are like a heron.
(7) **Stone:** Those who are always hard-hearted and whose hearts do not allow the water of Jain teachings to enter are like a stone.
(8) **Snake:** Just as milk given to a snake turns into poison, similarly, even the best teachings have a negative effect on those who are like a snake.
(9) **Cow:** Just as a cow gives milk after eating grass, similarly, those who benefit greatly from even a little teaching are like a cow.
(10) **Swan:** Those who only accept the essential teachings are like a swan.
(11) **Buffalo:** Just as a buffalo drinks little water but makes the entire water muddy, similarly, listeners who accept little teaching but create disturbance in the entire assembly with their bad conduct are like a buffalo.
(12) **Broken Pot:** Those whose hearts do not retain any teachings are like a broken pot.
(13) **Leech:** Those who do not accept any teachings but disturb the entire assembly are like a leech.
(14) **Worm:** Those who only accept the negative aspects and discard the positive ones are like a worm.
**Chapter 139-140:**
These fourteen types of listeners are further divided into three categories: excellent, mediocre, and inferior. There are other types of listeners as well, but what is the benefit of counting them all?
**Chapter 141:**
Among these listeners, those who are like the cow and swan are considered excellent, those who are like the earth and parrot are considered mediocre, and all others are considered inferior.