Final answer:
Zen Buddhism attempted to focus on personal enlightenment through meditation and the guidance of a master, emphasizing personal experience over intellectual study or elaborate rituals. It encouraged practitioners to grasp the illusory nature of the world and self through disciplined practice, aiming for a direct understanding of reality.
Step-by-step explanation:
Zen Buddhism sought to return to the teachings of Buddhism by focusing on the practice of meditation and personal enlightenment through the guidance of a master. This approach was in contrast to the elaborate rituals and scriptural studies that had become common in other Buddhist practices. Zen emphasized that enlightenment could not be bought or achieved through intellectual study alone, but through direct, personal experience and the disciplined practice of meditation. Zen practitioners often engaged in humble tasks and used paradoxical questions known as “ko'an” to transcend conceptual thinking and achieve a deeper understanding of reality.
Moreover, Zen Buddhism discouraged the worship of deities or the reliance on a savior figure, unlike the Pure Land Buddhism, which emphasized personal devotion. Instead, it taught that enlightenment could be achieved through rigorous practice, embodying personal responsibility and the 'middle way,' a tenet central to Buddhism which advocates for a life of moderation between severe asceticism and sensual indulgence. Through this practice, Zen believers aspire to reach a state where they perceive the world and themselves as illusory, overcoming the cycle of suffering and desire that binds individuals to the material world.