What is CmLit?

I am somewhat new to the comparative literature field and in many ways still am still trying to find a footing around what comparative literature actually is, where the field came from, and where it is going so the questions I'm going to ask might feel elementary to you guys. The CLL talks I've attended have all been focused on shifting the center of comparison to a non-western area or “consciousness”. I remember from several talks I've attended that the question of terminology inevitably springs up. How are we to apply theories to non-Western literature while using the vocabulary of Western institutions of thought? Can we, in an American institution ever escape from the “Western tradition”? Should we want to escape? 

That being said, I especially enjoyed the Hogan piece since I am not well versed in non-Western literary theory. However, what exactly is the function of Hogan's piece? Hogan provides a descriptive summary of various literary traditions. In the Indian theorists “engaged in a highly elaborated study of verbal ornamentaion, cataloging and analyzing a wide range of figures of speech”. Chinese theorists “have virtually always involved a vigorous assertion of the moral responsibility of the poet”. Japanese authors are “perhaps the most highly metaphorical” and so forth with other non-Western traditions (3). Hogan provides a “mini summary” of these non-Western traditions to prove the point that they are as rich and old if not even richer and older than Western literary tradition. In Hogan's words, “The world should lead us to ask not why the European tradition is unique in being so rich, but why it is unique in being so impoverished” (5). This feels unfair to me. Why must understanding other traditions result in a “impoverishing” and isolation of the European tradition? Isn't this a just simplification and reversal of the paradigm? However, Hogan's argument is still grounded in the “West” in that it is still the point of contrast. Perhaps this is necessary because the statement needs to be made but where do we go from here? My point is, is it enough to simply identify and summarize these non-Western traditions so that we recognize that they exist? Is the next step to actually use for example, Basho's notion sabi, and if so, how do we use it? Can we use it on any literature (a related question: has Western theories been traditionally applied to non-western traditions as well?) or should we restrict each theoretical tradition to its own works? If so, what would be the limits? Geographical? Ethnographical?