Yantou Quanhuo

Yantou Quanhuo was a student of Deshan Xuanjian and a dharma brother of Xuefeng Yicun. He is known for two extraordinary stories. First, it was Yantou who helped Xuefeng achieve his final awakening by shouting, "Haven't you heard the saying—what comes in through the gate is not the family treasure?" At these words, Xuefeng's understanding opened completely.

Second, when bandits attacked his monastery and killed him, Yantou is said to have let out a shout that was heard for miles. This death shout troubled many practitioners, including the young Hakuin, who wondered how an awakened master could die screaming. Hakuin's investigation of this question drove him deeper into his own practice. The story of Yantou's death became a profound koan about the nature of awakening and its relationship to the body, pain, and mortality.