It seems to me that a legitimate test of a religion is whether there would be anything left of that religion if all present traces of the religion were abolished. The test would then be if that religion, whatever it would be called, re-emerged anew at some place and time among human communities. Buddhism, as a path of truth that is discovered by direct experience and insight, would emerge again and flourish. By contrast, it is inconceivable that any religions "of the book" could exist once their current texts and tradition ceased. Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and Islam are tied to their history and elaborate theologies, and once that is forgotten, they would cease to exist. Unless you seriously believe that some divine creator exists to restore that religion, they would cease as soon as humans ceased to believe in them.

"All things are mastered by mindfulness." The Buddhist stress on living in the present moment, really trying to see how things are, helps us cut through distractions. Calming the mind, eliminating random thoughts that bounce from place to place. This is the beginning of insight, which will lead to liberation. I think "liberation" is a much better way to phrase our goal than "enlightenment."

Practising is to be separated from desire and evil thought, and by degrees to enter the way of Enlightenment

This is a sutra excerpt presented in Beatrice Suzuki's Mahayana Buddhism. What is striking is how our salvation is only achieved through a slow process, by degrees, until we reach the summit. Many religions stress the sudden act of being "saved," where the individual passes from the darkness into the light in a single instance. This later approach is based upon the idea that a savior must reach down and extend grace in order for you to achieve salvation. Buddhism is no doubt a harder path, for those willing and able to see the reality of our existence.