중국에서의 돈점논쟁은 돈오와 점오사이의 논쟁이지 수행과정과 관련된 것은 아니었다. 돈오돈수와 돈오점수 사이의 대립과 논쟁은 중국과 일본에는 없는 한국선의 특징이다. 또 돈오돈수를 강조하는 것이 한국선의 특질인데 그것은 조사선을 강조하기 때문이며, 조사선의 본질이 바로 돈오돈수이다. 한국에서 돈오돈수가 처음 나타나는 것은 禪門寶藏錄인데, 선문보장록은 조동선에 근거해서 교에 대한 선의 우위를 주장하는 것이 특징이다. 조선시대에 들어와서는 돈오점수론자들이 많았는데, 청허휴정도 그 중의 한사람이다. 조선시대의 돈오돈수론자로서는 雲峰大智(1606?∼1690?)를 들 수 있는데, 그는 독특한 돈오돈수설을 주장한다. 그는 수행의 과정을 頓悟漸修로 설명하면서도, 漸修를 다시 頓修→證悟로 분석하고 있다. 즉 수행의 과정을 頓悟→頓修→證悟의 3단계로 이해하고 있다. 또한 상근기와 중하근기의 수행과정이 달라서, 상근기의 경우는 돈오 시에 바로 수행이 완성되므로(修悟一時), 이때의 돈오는 證悟이며 돈수는 事에 대한 돈수이다. 반면에 중하근기의 돈오란 解悟이며 돈수는 理에 대한 돈수이다. 따라서 頓修後證悟라는 漸修의 과정을 거쳐야한다고 말한다.

The sudden-gradual argument in Chinese Buddhism was one between sudden and gradual enlightenment, but not one related with a cultivation process. The conflict between sudden enlightenment/ sudden cultivation and sudden enlightenment/ gradual cultivation has occurred typically in Korean Seon, but not in Chinese Chan and Japanese Zen. As a matter of fact, an emphasis on sudden enlightenment/ sudden cultivation is characteristic of Korean Seon, which stresses Patriarchal Chan, and the essence of the Patriarchal Chan was the very sudden enlightenment/ sudden cultivation. It was in the Seonmun bojang nok (Records of Precious Treasures of Seon) that the idea of sudden enlightenment/sudden cultivation appeared for the first time in the Korean peninsula. This book based on the Chan of Cao-Dong school stresses that Seon is prior to Gyo (doctrine). Toward the Joseon Dynasty, there were lots of those who advocated sudden enlightenment/ gradual cultivation, one of whom was Master Cheongheo Hyujeong. As for an advocate of sudden enlightenment/ sudden cultivation during the Joseon, there was Master Seolbong Daeji(●1606?∼1690?), who asserted his own unique theory of sudden enlightenment/ sudden cultivation. While explaining the whole cultivation as a process of sudden enlightenment/ gradual cultivation on the one hand, Seolbong analyses the gradual cultivation further into a sudden cultivation and a full enlightenment(jeung-o) on the other. In other words, he suggests the whole cultivation is composed of three phases, namely sudden enlightenment, sudden cultivation and full enlightenment. Furthermore, according to him, those of high and middle capacities are different in their cultivation process. For those of high spiritual ability, as they can complete their cultivation at the moment of sudden enlightenment, such a state is full enlightenment and the sudden cultivation of this sort is referred to as that for function. On the contrary, for those of middle and low capacity, their sudden enlightenment refers to understanding enlightenment(hae-o) and the sudden cultivation at this time is that for essence. Accordingly he states that one should go through gradual cultivation, which means full enlightenment after sudden cultivation.