Lol! One thing is being needlessly polemical but … sheesh
One thing I find convincing about Ajahn Brahm’s “system” though is that he describes the five hindrances being suppressed for a long time after a jhana.
This seems really useful, and it makes sense to me that this would lead to the insights that come after 8th step of the path.
As far as I understand Ajahn Brahm’s teachings, the light is really a representation of the energy and bliss of the mind.
But seeing bliss as a form (light) in the mind’s eye is still a bit too ‘diverse’ – it’s not as stable as merging with the bliss, which is a more unified experience.
Then, the first jhana (according to Aj. B) the vitakka vicara is the subtle instability in that merger with the bliss, that disappears in the second jhana.
For someone who is a good meditator, I guess they could try both, see what happens? Doesn’t seem worth arguing about, both are refined states
Edit: but it does seem like the nimitta is a more coarse/diverse object than just bliss. I think it’s a little bit hard to justify that one is supposed to stay with a coarser/diverser object.
Edit2:
I did peruse Shaila Cathrine’s ‘Wisdom Wide and Deep’ a while ago. My impression was that this method is a bit lighter on the bliss part of meditation. It’s also more technical and “left brained” that Ajahn Brahm’s ‘feely-feely’ emphasis on letting go.