Something that does not cease to exist

一个不能没有的东西

The Japanese investigate ‘nonexistence’. I'll teach you to investigate ‘existence’. There is no fixed dharma. It is not easy to answer the topic, “Who is mindful of the Buddha?” There are people who investigate this topic but cannot find the answer for years. And those who investigate, “What was my original face before my parents gave birth to me?” are not always successful. The Japanese who investigate “nonexistence, nonexistence, nonexistence” are not always successful either. I will teach you now to investigate ‘existence’. This does not just mean repeating, “Existence! Existence! Existence!” Then what should you do? Everything in this world can cease to exist. Is there something that cannot cease? You should investigate this. When everything else is gone, what ultimately is left? Look for that which still exists. Everything can end or be annihilated. Then what cannot be annihilated? You will be enlightened when you find this one ‘thing’ that cannot be annihilated. You will also be enlightened if you can find that something that does not cease, or the original face before your parents gave birth to you, or who is mindful of the Buddha. But it must be a genuine attainment. Some people fake a breakthrough and simply talk intellectual Chan. That is useless. You cannot use what people have used before. It is not your own.

日本人参「无」，我现在教你们也可以参「有」，因为无有定法。像参「念佛是谁」这是很不容易找的，有的人找了几年也找不着这个谁；有的参「父母没生以前的本来面目」也找不到，日本人参无、无、无?，还是没找着。我现在教你们参「有」，不是念「有！有！有！」这要怎么样呢？世间一切都可以没有，到底有没有一个「不能没有」的东西呢？你找这个。什么都没有了，究竟哪一个是有的呢？找那个「有」的。一切都能了、都可以断灭，那什么是不断灭的呢？你找那个不断灭的。你要找着那个不断灭的，你就开悟了；你要找着那个不能没有的，也是开悟了；你要找着你父母未生以前的本来面目，那也是开悟了；你找着念佛是谁，也是开悟了，但是要找着才算。你找不着就会口头禅，那是没有用的；人家说过的，你再跟着说，那都不是你的。