---
title: 參跟求有什麼分別？ What is the difference between investigating and seeking?
description: "Q: When we investigate, 「Who is mindful of the Buddha?」 isn』t this considered seeking?"
---

What is the difference between investigating and seeking?

參跟求有什麼分別？

Q: When we investigate, 「Who is mindful of the Buddha?」 isn』t this considered seeking?

A: This is called investigating, not seeking.

Q: What is the difference between investigating and seeking?

A: Investigating Chan is like drilling a hole. Such effort is not considered seeking. When one seeks, the process is endless and one will never produce a hole from it. When you drill, a hole is produced. Do you understand?

Q: It seems like we are trying to find something by asking, 「Who?」 in 「Who is mindful of the Buddha?」

A: Yes, we are trying to find something. However, we are not seeking. Finding is the same as investigating. It is called investigating the meditation topic [literally, 「what comes before words」], instead of seeking the meditation topic.

問：我們參「念佛是誰？」這不是在求嗎？

答：這是參，不是求。

問：參跟求有什麼分別？

答：參就好像用錐子鑽窟窿似的，你鑽窟窿，並不是求窟窿。你要是用求的，求到什麼時候，窟窿也不會有的；你用錐鑽窟窿，才會有窟窿，懂了嗎？

問：「念佛是誰」那個「誰」好像是在找一個東西。

答：是在找，這不是求。找也是參，這都叫參話頭，沒有叫求話頭的。