Today's passage reads a little like an old Vaudeville comedy routine ... Abbot & Costello doing their version of 'Waiting for Godot' ...

Costello: Hey, Abbot, I'm looking for Buddha. I've never met him.

Abbot: So, how will you know when you find Buddha?

Costello: Because he looks like Buddha, of course!

Abbot: Well, that sounds easy enough!

Costello: My problem is, cause I've never met Buddha, so I don't know what Buddha looks like! What's he look like, tell me please so I can find him?

Abbot: Sure. Well, ya see, Buddha looks just like that guy sitting on the bus over there. Oh, and Buddha is the spitting image of that squirrel over there. Oh, and the prisoner in the county jail, an angel or a devil in hell, the grass and trees. In fact, Buddha is the spitting image of me, so take a good look ... but he looks just like you, in fact! Buddha looks just like that.

Costello: So ... what does Buddha look like?

Abbot: Yes ... but no.

Costello: Huh!?

Abbot: Buddha looks just like "Buddha" cause Buddha doesn't necessarily look like "Buddha", but neither does he not look like "Buddha". Oh, and Buddha usually doesn't bother to use the name "Buddha" ... but we gotta call "Buddha" somethin'.

Costello: Then, if Buddha doesn't just look like "Buddha" and looks like all that, and doesn't go by the name "Buddha" ... how can I know its Buddha when I meet Buddha?

Abbot: Yes.

Costello: Huh?

Abbot: In that case, my advice is to 'don't know' its Buddha in order to know Buddha.

Costello: (Turning red in the face and raising his voice) Then, how will I know its Buddha if I don't know its Buddha, for crying out loud?

Costello: Well, if you don't know Buddha, how will you know its NOT Buddha?

(curtain)
Cookfrom p 79, Hixon from p. 79