Even if he's not,people will still follow him as he's following the steps of Lord Buddha and now a days there's more violence then what Lord Buddha believed in. Maybe that's the reason that he started to truly follow him, to spread the message of PEACE.. or maybe he is the reincarnation of Buddha!

Bella, Dubai, UAE

Realized souls have explained that just attaining Nirvana will not help the world and the living beings on it. Buddha, Christ and Ramakrishna after realizing ultimate Truth managed to come back to lead the world towards righteousness. Boy's message is what matters, is he an incarnation is secondary

Rajju , Manhattan Beach,

he can not be said to be the coming of Maitreya, future Buddha as that occurs only when ALL the original teachings have faded and dissapeared from our world system. as we are fortunate enough live in a time where the precious Dharma is still being taught, he can not be said to be Maitreya

Jon, Hull, England

Matthew from Edinburgh - I laughed out loud! On a serious note though: Lyone and Vince, in Mahayana Buddhism, although someone has reached enlightenment, they can still return led by the altruistic wish to help others. This is the way of the Bodhisattva. If his message is peaceful, then good on him!

Esther, Kigali, Rwanda

Vince is correct. According to the teachings of Siddhartha Buddha, he will never have a reincarnation: because once an enlightened being attains Nirvana there are no more rebirths. But so what? We will all become buddha beings eventually, maybe this boy is one. Maybe not. But peace,etc-all good

Lyone S Fein, Newark, USA

Buddha did not believe in a god so who actually does the re-incarnation business? Who do Buddhists pray to? Why the demons etc.? He obviously had a method for getting an inner peace, nirvana,, but to infer that this is some kind of heaven is baseless. Again, no god, so who made the 'heaven'?

William Garrett, Harrow,

You question his credibility based on him collecting money during sermons? Ever sat through a Sunday sermon in a Christian church? I accept your logical arguments, not your hypocritical.

Erik, London,

Can we all just remember that none of this actually means anything? He's not a reincarnation of anyone, he's just someone who is just trying to see how much he can get away with...

Matthew Lancey, Sydney, Australia

I understand the knowledge of Buddhism is important here. It never be reincarnation of Lord Buddha(presently known as Gauthama) But possibly be the birth of "Maithree Buddha". Because to become enlightened, a person should develop lot & lots of Decepline. This person may be practicing it.Never know.

Ruwan, London, UK

Times staff, can you send someone over there who speaks the lingo so we can get a transcript? "He spoke to his followers about fostering peace and ending discrimination" - and said what?

Julian Morrison, Reading, UK

"...impossible in the Buddhist concept for the historical Buddha to have a reincarnation"

Impossible? As a Buddha wouldn't he be free to do so? Or is Nirvana so total that he is even beyond freedom, choice and action?

In anycase modern buddhism is spiritualised atheism. The end is the same.

Greg Lorriman, Leatherhead, UK

sounds like mickey mouse fiction to me

Hamish, London,

Is that Yoko Ono?

Brendan Woodhouse, Nottingham, United Kingdom

He's probably just going through a phase

Matthew, Edinburgh, UK

As a definition of Buddhahood is the attainment of Nirvana and release from rebirth it is impossible in the Buddhist concept for the historical Buddha to have a reincarnation. Therefore Buddha Boy can not possibly be such a reincarnation.

Vince, Reading, England