Most of Korean Buddhist scholars are interested in proving the greatness and uniqueness of Wonhyo 元曉 (617-686) in Korean Buddhist context. However, I discussed Wonhyo’s panjiao 判敎 (Doctrinal Classification) system in the broader context of East Asian Buddhism rather than in the narrower context of Korean Buddhism. By the use of digitized texts, I comprehensively investigated that by following previous Chinese ecumenical panjiao systems, Wonhyo criticized previous and contemporary sectarian panjiao systems. Even though his own panjiao system is not found out in his extant works but is introduced and commented on it by later Huayan scholars, I discussed only his criticism of previous sectarian panjiao systems in his extant works in this article. When Xuanzang玄奘 (602-664) introduced some controversial issues of Yogacara Buddhism to China, he and his followers established Yogacara sectarian panjiao system. As a reaction against new Yogacara sectarian panjiao systems, by adopting previous Dilun sectarian panjiao systems, Huayan panjiao systemizers devised other sectarian panjiao systems of Huayan Buddhism. However, as an ecumenical panjiao systemizer, Wonhyo refuted the previous sectarian panjiao systems of the Dilun School and the Nirvana School and the contemporary sectarian panjiao systems of new Yogacara Buddhism and Huayan Buddhism. By criticizing those sectarian panjiao systems, he strongly advocated ecumenical panjiao systems in his three extant works, Yeolban jongyo 涅槃宗要 (Essentials of the Nirvana Sutra), Daehyedo gyeong jongyo 大慧度經宗要 (Essentials of the Wisdom Sutra) and Beophwa jongyo 法華宗要 (Essentials of the Lotus Sutra).
