Baekpa’s Threefold Seon, Choui’s Twofold Seon, and Dongdasong

During the late Joseon Dynasty, Baekpa and Choui engaged in a century-long debate on Seon teachings, focusing on Linji’s Three Statements. Baekpa interpreted these statements as representing three types of Seon-Patriarchal Seon, Tathagata Seon, and Doctrinal Seon- categorized by the practitioners' capacities. Choui, however, rejected this division, asserting that Seon cannot be differentiated by capacity, and instead, classified it based on origin and content. He aligned Patriarchal Seon with Transcendental Seon, which transcends conventional forms, and aligned Tathagata Seon with Doctrinal Seon, grounded in logic and language. Choui also critiqued Baekpa’s interpretation using Linji’s analogy of sealing the sky, water, and mud, emphasizing the nominal nature of Baekpa’s distinctions. This debate occurred amidst state-imposed restrictions on Buddhism, representing a profound intellectual exchange during the era. Choui, celebrated as the Tea Saint, also revived Korean tea culture through works like Dongdasong and Dasinjeon earning renown as both a Seon master and tea scholar