Q: I read online that Maitreya and Baha’u’llah are the same person. Is this true?
A: No. According to Buddhism, there are not. There are many people in history who claim to be or are believed to be Maitreya Buddha, but it is clear in the Buddhist sutras that he arrives to become a Buddha in about 56 billion years time. Also, if they are the same person, Buddhism would be taught – but the Bahai faith does not teach Buddhism in detail. Also, all Buddhas have similar physical characteristics due to having equally perfected merits.
Q: I also read that Bah’u’llah is the 5th Buddha, Jesus, Allah, Shah-Bahram and Krishna, with differences only in the way he is portrayed. Is this true?
A: This is not true too, in the Buddhist context and the context of the linked religions. The Buddha clearly declared that he is not a messenger or manifestation of any god, and that he is supremely enlightened, the greatest among all humans and gods, including those who mistaken themselves to have created the world. It is very important to learn Buddhism from Buddhist teachers, as it is very easy to be confused by others who don’t learn Buddhism well, who misinterpret and misrepresent Buddhism. Do be very careful not to believe in everything read online without deeper reflection and cross-referencing.