Within the Chinese Chan tradition, the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment came to be read through a relatively small number of influential exegetical works, with the figure of Guifeng Zongmi standing at the center. The primary commentary is commonly known as the “Commentary on the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment” (圓覺經疏), which presents a systematic exposition of the text and became a doctrinal touchstone in Chan and Huayan circles. Closely related to this is a more concise treatment, the “Exposition of the Meaning of the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment” (圓覺經略疏), likewise associated with Zongmi and functioning as an abbreviated guide to the same vision. Together, these works offer a graded entry into the sutra, from detailed analysis to more distilled presentation, and they shaped how later generations in both Chinese Chan and Korean Seon approached its teachings.

Alongside these, there is also the “Record of Explanations on the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment” (圓覺經直解), a text whose authorship is uncertain and has been variously linked to Chan masters in the tradition. While less clearly anchored to a single known commentator, it reflects the living, interpretive engagement of Chan communities with the sutra, preserving explanations that were likely rooted in oral instruction and practical guidance. When these works are viewed together, the scriptural landscape that emerges is one in which the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment is not merely a doctrinal authority, but a living text interpreted through layered commentaries, from Zongmi’s structured exegesis to more direct, practice-oriented explanations.