There is a fundamental difference between that which is 'not found' and that which is 'found not to exist.'

"There is a fundamental difference between that which is 'not found' and that which is 'found not to exist.' If I look for something and fail to find it, this does not mean that the thing I am seeking does not exist. Not seeing a thing is not the same as seeing its non-existence."

— The Dalai Lama, "The Universe in a Single Atom"