『萬德寺志』에 기록된 ‘8국사’는 해당 책이 만들어지는 과정에서 정리된 백련사 출신 승려였다. 요세·천인·천책은 사후 추봉되었고 경의와 정오만이 생전에 국사로 책봉받았 다. 그 외 圓睆·而安·混其는 국사로 추봉받은 적은 없지만, 이안은 釋敎都僧統(釋敎都 摠攝)으로 왕사·국사에 버금갈 정도의 권력을 가졌고 혼기도 유력한 사원의 주지직을 역임하며 개경 妙蓮寺 활동의 기틀을 마련하였다. ‘8국사’ 모두가 명실상부하게 국사는 아니었지만, 요세에 의해 개창된 백련결사를 계승하며 일정한 역할을 했던 인물들이었 다. 요세부터 천인·천책·정오 등은 백련사가 속한 天台宗의 우리나라 개창자를 義天으로 인지하였다. 요세의 普賢道場을 백련사다운 특징으로 이해할 때는 의천이 이를 시행하 지 못한 것이 한계로 언급되기도 했지만, 의천을 자신들의 계보로 인정한 것은 분명하다. 요세와 천인이 각각 知訥과 惠諶에게 가서 修禪社에 참여했을 뿐만 아니라 圓睆도 月南 寺에서 머물렀다고 하므로 그도 수선사와 접촉했다. 천책도 수선사 소속 승려인 卓然, 閑禪老, 천영의 제자 敦元 등과 장기간 교류했다. 천책은 定慧를 수행하기도 했으며, 천인이나 정오는 정혜를 수행의 한 방법으로 거론하였다. 이는 백련사가 수선사의 수행 체계를 일면 인정하고 이를 수용했다는 점을 보여준다. 백련사와 중앙정계와의 결합도 요세의 보현도량 이후로 이해되었지만, 백련사 개창 초창기에 靜和宅主가 원묘국사에게 귀의한 것이나 보현도량 개설 이전에 사망한 趙文拔 의 백련사 관련 글을 통해 그 보다 일찍 관계를 맺었던 것이 확인된다. 요세로부터 천인 으로의 사주 교체도 중앙의 허락을 받고 있었다. 묘련사의 개창과 조인규 가문 승려들의 활동에도 불구하고 요세가 개창한 보현도량은 이들에 의해 계속 수행되어 백련사 특징으 로 지속되었다. 또한 ‘8국사’와 義旋 이외에도 충선왕 때 국왕의 총애를 받아 궁궐을 자유롭게 출입하고 봉군되었던 用宣이라는 백련사 계열 승려, 묘련사의 주지직을 계승한 다수의 승려, 1318년 최서의 처 박씨에게 수계해준 묘련사 주법, 1377년 『법화영험전』 등을 간행한 了圓과 妙慧 등의 존재는 고려 말까지 백련사 출신 승려들이 다수 활동하고 있었음을 보여준다.
The eight National preceptors (guksa) mentioned in Mandeoksaji (The Records of Mandeoksa Temple) were monks from the Baengnyeonsa Temple identified in the process of the compilation of the book. Yose, Cheonin, and Cheonchaek were honored as National preceptors after their deaths. Only Gyeongui and Jeongo were given the title during their lifetimes. Wonhwan, Yian, and Hongi were not honored as National preceptors, but Yian was one of the highest Buddhist leaders during the Goryeo period, serving the post of seokgyo-doseungtong, or seokgyo-dochongseop, and had authority equivalent to that of a Royal preceptor (wangsa) or a National preceptor. Hongi served as the head priest (juji) of a prominent Buddhist temple and laid the foundation for his activities at Myoryeonsa Temple in Gaegyeong. Although not all of the eight preceptors were officially appointed National preceptors, they took part in the succession of the Baengnyeongyeolsa (the White Lotus Association) founded by Yose. These Buddhist leaders including Cheonin, Cheonchaek, and Jeongo as well as Yose recognized Uicheon as the Korean founder of Tiantai Buddhism (Cheontae Order), to which Baengnyeonsa Temple belongs. This was under the understanding that the bohyeon-doryang rite pointed out that Uicheon’s consideration as the founder of their community was limited as he did not perform the rite. However, it is clear that they recognized Uicheon as the Korean founder of Tiantai Buddhism. Not only did Yose and Cheonin join Jinul and Hyesim for their activities at Suseonsa Temple, but Wonhwan also stayed at Wolnamsa Temple. Therefore, he had relationship with Suseonsa Temple. Cheonchaek interacted with the monks from Suseonsa Temple including Tagyeon and Han Seon-ro and Donwon, who was a disciple of Cheonyeong for a long time. Cheonchaek performed jeonghye (meditation and wisdom). Cheonin and Jeongo referred to jeonghye as a way of practicing the path of enlightenment. This shows that Baengnyeonsa Temple partly recognized and embraced Suseonsa Temple’s system for the cultivation of the Way. The cooperation between Baengnyeonsa Temple and the central political circle has been considered to have begun after the establishment of the bohyeon-doryang rite by Yose. However, the fact that Jeonghwataekju, a royal family member, became a Buddhist through Yose in the early years of the foundation of Baengnyeonsa Temple and the writings on the temple by Jo Mun-bal who had died before the establishment of the bohyeon- doryang rite suggest that the temple formed relations with the central political circle of Goryeo earlier than this. The change of the head priest from Yose to Cheonin was also determined with the consent of the political circle. Despite the establishment of Myoryeonsa Temple and the activities of monks from Jo In-gyu’s family, the bohyeon-doryang rite, which was founded by Yose, continued to be performed by them and remained a major feature of the temple. In addition to these eight National preceptors and Uiseon, the strong presence of a monk named Yongseon who gained the favor of King Chungseon so much that he freely entered the royal palace and was honored as gun (a royal title); several monks who served as the head priest of Myoryeonsa Temple; Lady Park, the wife of Choi Seo, who was given the teachings of the temple in 1318; and Yowon and Myohye who compiled and published Buddhist books including Beophwayeongheomjeon (Record of Wondrous Experiences of the Lotus Sutra Teaching) in 1377 demonstrates that Buddhist leaders from Baengnyeonsa Temple were active until the late Goryeo era.