What does it mean to investigate the Chan topic

　　什麼是參話頭？

　　When you investigate a Chan topic or “word head,” you should investigate the beginning of the phrase, not the tail end. The “word head” is what comes before language is spoken. There is no thought process involved, but merely investigation. What can investigation be compared to

　　 It is like using a drill bit to drill a hole, or like excavating a well. Using a drill bit to make a well or to make a hole in a surface is analogous to investigating. However, drilling a well is tangible, whereas investigating is intangible. This comparison makes it easier for you to grasp the meaning. You must keep on drilling until you have broken through. Drilling through is known as “penetrating the fundamental investigation.”

　　你參話頭，要參話頭，不要參話尾。「話頭」是在言語還沒有說出來的時候，就是話語之頭。你參話頭要參這個，這時有一個思慮沒有呢？沒有，只是一個參。「參」就像什麼呢？就像用一個錐子鑽窟窿一樣，又好像鑿井。用錐子鑽地，把本來沒有窟窿的地硬鑽、鑽，鑽出個窟窿來，鑽窟窿的錐子就是「參」；這個參是無形的，你鑿井鑽窟窿是有形的，用有形來譬喻這無形的，你就容易明白什麼是「參」。參就是硬往裏頭鑽，鑽不進去還要鑽，什麼時候鑽透了，那就是「破本參」了。