| | Dear Nirodha,
I really like Hokai's answer, but I'll add a few things...
First, I think it is a fair and good question. It is true that I, the founder of the place, am a big Mahasi Sayadaw fan, that my book, which is pretty vipassana/Mahasi heavy, has influenced a number of people here, and that there are a lot of vipassana types around. As mai88 points out, this set of concepts, language and techniques do help people, as they are really pretty good maps and ways to go. That said, they are not the only game in town, though a basic familiarity with certain terms does help people talk about things that are complex and subtle without having to redefine everything every time and reinvent the wheel.
I personally am comfortable with all sorts of conceptual frameworks, terms, some languages, and the like, but not everyone may be. What set of terms, concepts, paradigms and the like were you looking for? I think that the underlying point is to come up with ways to talk that help people actually get it, and the it they are trying to get is certainly not the property of any tradition.
Further, cross pollination between traditions and frameworks, when done well, can produce some very cool results, and I have drawn from a lot of traditions over the years to help keep things going deeper, as have many others here. You will find Zen people, Westery Mystery people, people with experience in Christian mystical traditions, and many others here, so tell us what you are looking for, and we'll see if we can send you in the right direction. One of the cool things about this site has been seeing people from various divergent backgrounds try to get on the same or similar pages and help each other to practice well.
Helpful?
-Daniel |