The Wonbulgyo scriptures occupy a distinctive place in interfaith and comparative Buddhist studies because they reformulate classical Buddhist teachings in consciously modern and universal terms. Core doctrines such as dependent origination, karma, and enlightenment are expressed through accessible ethical language—gratitude, public-mindedness, and service to society—so that they can speak across cultural and religious boundaries. This universalizing tendency is reinforced by the presentation of Il-Won-Sang, the One Circle, as a distilled symbol of Buddha-nature and ultimate reality that does not depend on anthropomorphic imagery. In this way, the texts offer a concise restatement of Mahāyāna themes like suchness, emptiness, and original mind, while inviting comparison with other Buddhist schools that emphasize mind-only or interpenetration.

At the same time, the scriptures bear witness to a deliberate synthesis of religious lineages within the East Asian context. The founder Sotaesan is portrayed as recognizing and incorporating elements from Confucianism, Daoism, and other traditions, especially in the emphasis on moral cultivation, practical wisdom, and social responsibility. The texts acknowledge the value of these traditions and present the great sages and saints of various religions as having realized the same ultimate truth in different cultural forms. This synthetic and pluralistic stance makes Wonbulgyo a particularly rich case for studying religious syncretism and “pluralism from within” a Buddhist framework.

For comparative Buddhist studies, the Wonbulgyo canon also serves as a clear example of Buddhist modernization and scriptural innovation. The movement creates new scriptures that systematize core Buddhist principles—such as the Four Noble Truths and the path of practice—into frameworks oriented toward lay life, family, and social engagement, while maintaining continuity with classical Buddhism. Monastic–lay distinctions are downplayed, and spiritual cultivation is explicitly linked to daily work, education, and service, which aligns Won Buddhism with broader currents of engaged Buddhism and modern reform movements. These features allow scholars to examine how a modern Buddhist community negotiates canonical authority, ritual simplification, and adaptation to a rapidly changing society.

Finally, the Wonbulgyo scriptures articulate an ethic of interreligious harmony that directly supports interfaith dialogue. Religions are portrayed as diverse yet complementary paths, comparable to different medicines suited to different people and times, and the texts encourage cooperation rather than competition among faiths. By grounding this outlook in universal principles and practical ethics, the scriptures provide a common platform for conversation with other Buddhist schools as well as with non-Buddhist traditions that stress social responsibility and inner cultivation. In this sense, they function both as a mirror for intra-Buddhist comparison and as a bridge for encounters across religious boundaries.