with many spokes to the hub. To be lost, even in practice and study, and forget about and miss the goal is probably as useful as drinking beer and watching TV.
Since Supreme Ultimate Enlightenment can be pointed to with words as the goal, (amongst other terms like no-mind, Nirvana, Original Truth, True Nature, Eternal Original Buddha, etc.) and it is a worthy desire to have, trying to "get" or have it can also become a hindrance. One can consider it a goal where you are already standing between the goal posts, but you you can't see them.
Yes, after you have done some study, basic core concepts become more obvious concerning various approaches and schools.
What varies, even amongst teachers, is the skilful means which, to me, illustrates that we are not dealing with dogma but a structure that does not lose its essence in applied flexibility. The infusion of Buddhism in the West has provided quite a challenge in that respect and we play some part in that in the maturation and flowering.
Some are even able to adapt adeptly to the understood nature of the listener, initially, rather than requiring the listener to adapt in order to begin and progress with Dharma.
Vajrayana was not mentioned. I wonder if we should have also have a definition and a little information about it?