Within the Korean Seon tradition, several eminent masters are especially associated with the study and exposition of the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment. Among them, Wonhyo stands out as a towering figure whose commentary came to be regarded as foundational for the sutra’s reception in Korea. His work did not merely gloss the text; it helped to establish the sutra’s doctrinal importance and to shape how later generations would approach its vision of enlightenment. Through such scholarship, the sutra was woven deeply into the fabric of Korean Buddhist thought.

Chinul, often remembered as a seminal architect of Korean Seon, also drew heavily on the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment. He integrated its teachings into a broader synthesis of meditative practice and doctrinal study, thereby ensuring that the sutra functioned not only as a scriptural authority but also as a living guide for practice. In his hands, the text became a bridge between sudden insight and gradual cultivation, illuminating how awakening might be realized within the rhythms of monastic and lay life alike.

Later masters continued this interpretive lineage. Taego Bou, a prominent Seon teacher, is known for drawing on the sutra in his reflections on sudden enlightenment, using its insights to clarify the nature of awakening and its expression in everyday conduct. Hyujeong, also revered as Seosan Daesa, composed commentarial writings that wove the sutra’s teachings together with practical instructions for meditation, thus uniting scriptural exegesis with lived contemplative discipline. Through the efforts of these masters, the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment became not merely an object of scholarly study, but a vital compass for the Korean Zen path.