and almost divine being who came to earth in the form of a man because he loved humankind and wished to be of assisstance
I think the key is "almost divine" this is not the same as the western concept of God however. The story goes that soon after his awakening some people marveled and questioned Siddharta if he was a human or a god. He answered that he was awake (buddha). So the Buddha first referred as a title to the man as being awakened.
The Buddha realized the illusory and impermanent nature of self and denied there was a permanent soul (atman) a primary teaching of Vedanta. Later emphasis was placed on what it was he realized that was unborn and that was called Buddha nature and all sentient beings were said to have it. Thus some Buddhist understood that this nature which is fundamental and could be, in some sense of the western concept, divine was a principle that would appear, manifest (incarnate) when sentient beings needed it. The emphasis moved from the individual biological organism to the unborn and hence eternal truth that it realized. But this is very different from the notion of a God in human flesh.
Particularly to be so brief this explanation is not very accurate. Don't at this moment have a good link.
lfen
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