Yes, Buddhists can and often do admire or believe in Jesus, usually viewing him as a highly enlightened teacher, Bodhisattva, or a manifestation of the "body of reality" (Dharmakaya) rather than a divine savior. While traditional Buddhist doctrines differ from Christian theology on salvation, many practitioners find common ground in his teachings on love, compassion, and suffering.
There are inherent and fundamental differences between Buddhism and Christianity, one significant element being that while Christianity is at its core monotheistic and relies on a God as a Creator, Buddhism is generally non-theistic and rejects the notion of a Creator God which provides divine values for the world.
In 2001 the Dalai Lama stated that "Jesus Christ also lived previous lives", and added that "So, you see, he reached a high state, either as a Bodhisattva or Buddha, or an enlightened person, through Buddhist practice or something like that." (Source) Also, the Trikaya from Buddhism sounds similar to the Holy Trinity ...
However, I would like to discuss how Buddhists believe in a significance regarding Jesus. Buddhists believe Jesus was real, produced miracles and underwent the crucifixion. The only difference is that, in Christianity, Christ is God incarnate, and in Buddhism Jesus was a Buddha.
There is no evidence and virtually no historical possibility that Jesus travelled to India, Nepal or Tibet. And the idea that he learned Eastern philosophy there, Hinduism or Buddhism, is problematic on other grounds.
Generally speaking, Buddhism is a religion that does not include the belief in a monotheistic creator deity. As such, it has often been described as either (non-materialistic) atheism or as nontheism.
Ānanda was very fond of and attached to the Buddha, willing to give his life for him. He mourned the deaths of both the Buddha and Sāriputta, with whom he enjoyed a close friendship: in both cases Ānanda was very shocked.
Hindus believe that Vishnu manifests Himself on earth as an incarnation in human form to save mankind in its hour of need. Therefore, for Hindus to accept Jesus as the Son of God or an Avtar seems quite logical and appropriate.
Answer and Explanation: The Bhagavad Gita does not mention Jesus. It was written anywhere from two hundred to five hundred years before Jesus was born. The Bhagavad Gita was written in India, and is a text sacred to Hindus.
While from a Christian perspective, it is not believed to be true, many Zen Buddhists believe in Jesus Christ as a historical person[1]. The Dalai Lama has spoken about Jesus and his teachings, filtered through a Buddhist worldview[2].
Maitreya (Sanskrit) or Metteyya (Pali) is a bodhisattva who is regarded as the future Buddha of this world in all schools of Buddhism, prophesied to become Maitreya Buddha or Metteyya Buddha.
Historical evidence indicates that Jesus knew about Buddhism, simply because both he and it were in Judea during the same time. Other evidence, while perhaps apoc- ryphal, indicates that he spent most of his so-called lost years outside Judea, possi- bly in Kashmir to study Buddhism exclusively.
Regarding Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama's perspectives are complex and evolving. On the positive side, he has publicly condemned violence against LGBTQ+ people and has been reported to have said, “If the two people have taken no vows [of chastity] and neither is harmed why should it not be acceptable.