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View submission: Religion teacher trying to understand the Baha'i Faith.
Thanks for asking questions. [BTW My mother (now retired for a number of years) was one of the earliest high school teachers in the US to develop and teach world religions in high school in the 1970s. ]
On the Baha'i view of Jesus, beyond the discussion in Some Answered Questions at http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/some-answered-questions/[1] Chapters 17 to 27 for questions and answers about the questions you are asking, you might also look to: https://bahai-library.com/stockman_jesus_bahai_writings[2] (This is a discussion by Dr. Stockton, who teaches Introduction to Christianity in religious studies.) https://bahai.works/Lights_of_Guidance/Christ[3] (some answers to some questions about what the Baha'i teachings are regarding Jesus.
1: http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/some-answered-questions/
2: https://bahai-library.com/stockman_jesus_bahai_writings
3: https://bahai.works/Lights_of_Guidance/Christ
On the Buddhist subjects: https://bahai-library.com/momen_encyclopedia_buddhism[4] (Dr. Momen's discussion on the subject.) https://www.bahaiphilosophy.com/buddhism-and-the-baha-i-writings.html[5] (Presentation on the subject of Buddhism and the Baha'i Faith in 2007 by Ian Kluge.) "The Buddha was a Manifestation of God, like Christ, but His followers do not possess His authentic Writings." (Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance, p. 501)
4: https://bahai-library.com/momen_encyclopedia_buddhism
5: https://www.bahaiphilosophy.com/buddhism-and-the-baha-i-writings.html
---- My understanding and some general thoughts:
Abdu'l-Baha gave a number of talks about reconciling the religions when he visited North America in 1912. He discussed that literal interpretations and superstitions sometimes developed in religion. Over time many teachings and misunderstandings developed in the prior faiths but the essential teachings often remained intact, the Golden Rule (the we should prefer others to ourselves), prayer and meditation (which Buddha taught), and common promises of future Messengers and a future time of human development and peace are common in all these faiths.
Abdu'l-Baha mentioned Buddha as one of the Messengers of God in his talks. In Buddhism, the Baha'i tests (as well as historical analysis and evidence) suggest that much of the original teachings spoken of by Buddha have not been retained. But Buddha did teach the same concepts and principle. My understanding is that His Message de-emphasized the Hindu concept of God and idol worship of the many forms of Gods' which was later mistakenly confused with atheism, but, if you look at what Buddha actually reportedly taught it is much like the other major religions. Additionally, Buddha foretold of a future Buddha, the Maitreya (Amit-Abha) who would be a Universal Buddha Whose Message would eventually bring peace to the world and unite the world. That is the same Message.
As for Jesus being the son of God, in one sense this is true in that He was the representative of God on earth and spoke on God's behalf. Jesus sometimes spoke in the voice of God or as the Messenger of God. When He spoke in this manner it was as though He was God. However, in a literal sense, it would not make much sense for Jesus to be the son of God. God is beyond time and space as we know it and could not possibly approach humans. This is discussed in the Hebrew Bible, as well (Exodus 33 and elsewhere); the ancient Jewish theology has been that God is so beyond us that no human could look about God and live, not even the Messenger (Moses). Thus, the term and concept is meant to be symbolic; Jesus is the one true Son of God as we are all the children of God. [This concept BTW was what I was taught as a young Christian (considering going into the ministry) as well.] Jesus Himself once said, "Why dost thou call me good, no one is good but the Father." Similarly, Jesus suggested that no one, not even the Son, knew the future time of the "end" but the Father. In this sense, Jesus clearly distinguished His person from God and as beneath God when He spoke as Jesus, the human being. Jesus prayed to God and reportedly cried out to God while on the cross. The same is true of Baha'u'llah BTW. At times, Baha'u'llah speaks as though God; at other times, as though the Messenger of God; and at other times as Baha'u'llah the person (“When I contemplate, O my God, the relationship that bindeth me to Thee, I am moved to proclaim to all created things ‘verily I am God!’; and when I consider my own self, lo, I find it coarser than clay!” http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/bic/SB/sb-14.html[6] Baha'is acknowledge many miracles of Jesus (including the immaculate conception) but suggest that some may not be taken literally.
6: http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/bic/SB/sb-14.html
There's nothing here!