Question: "What is Buddhism and what do Buddhists believe?"

[stoogecristi]

Buddhist Enlightenment | Christian Salvation
Man's nature remains fundamentally unchanged; the individual Buddhist accomplishes "enlightenment" but this is only a new perspective on life undergirded by carefully cultivated altered states of consciousness (the experience of "nirvana" in meditation) | Man's nature is changed forever. This is accomplished wholly by God and constitutes an inner change of one's nature (regeneration) a new legal standing before God (justification) and, logically, a corresponding "outer" transformation (sanctification)
Eradicates "ignorance" of the truths of Buddhism and ostensibly, in the end, suffering | Eradicates sin
History is irrelevant; salvation is experientially based and possible through mysticism. Inner experience supplants historical concerns. The person of Buddha irrelevant to process of enlightenment | Historically based; salvation is objectively based and impossible apart from the person of Jesus Christ of Nazareth
The believer is saved from life; sin is not forgiven | The believer is saved from divine judgment; all his sins are forgiven
Humanistic: man instituted | Theological: God instituted
Escapist (salvation from the world) | Realist (salvation of the world, i.e., of all believers)
One cannot be reconciled to an impersonal nirvana, one can only "realize" it or "achieve" it; technically, one cannot even experience it. | Reconciliation to God
Eternal existence allegedly constitutes an ineffable existence somewhere in between (i.e., not comprising either) total annihilation or personal immortality | Eternal life constitutes personal immortality and fellowship with a loving God
Derives from a finite source of change utilizing the power of self-perfection | Derives from an infinite source of change utilizing the power of divine grace

Ultimate Reality is the experience of emptiness or ineffable impersonal "existence." | Ultimate Reality is the infinite personal triune God
Faith is denied or placed in Buddhist gods plus works | Based on faith in Christ alone apart from works