Around 820 CE, National Master Doui introduced Seon (Zen in the West) and the teachings of the Sixth Patriarch, Huineng, from China.

[1] The Jogye Order rose to prominence in the late 11th century when the monk Jinul combined the direct practices of Korean Seon with the theological foundations of sutra-based Buddhist schools and Pure Land Buddhism.

[4][5] However, during the Goryeo period, the Cheontae school, under the leadership of Uicheon, rose to prominence, attracting many talented monks and compelling Seon practitioners to innovate.

Its inclusive nature and emphasis on continuous discipline garnered significant support from the military establishment, allowing it to flourish in monasteries across the Korean peninsula.

Then, in 1899, under the leadership of Seon Master Gyeongheo (1849-1912), monks petitioned from Haeinsa to reestablish the traditions and the philosophical basis for a reconstructed Buddhist order.

It was in 1947-1949 that a group of monks at Bongamsa began a movement advocating "Living According to the Teachings of the Buddha" and this provided the opportunity for the establishment of fundamental principles and traditions as well as the accepted ceremonies of the order.

][13] In 2006, according to the Asia Times, "Lee also sent a video prayer message to a Christian rally held in the southern city of Busan in which the worship leader prayed feverishly: 'Lord, let the Buddhist temples in this country crumble down!

'"[14] Further, according to an article in Buddhist-Christian Studies: "Over the course of the last decade a fairly large number of Buddhist temples in South Korea have been destroyed or damaged by fire by misguided Protestant fundamentalists.

"[15] On September 20, 2024, the Chief Administrator of the Jogye Order held a press conference at the Korean Buddhist History and Culture Memorial Hall in Jongno, Seoul, announcing plans to officially propose the establishment of "World Meditation Day" on May 21 (tentatively) during a visit to the UN headquarters in New York.