The Legend of Wesak (Vesak)

“Year after year He comes back in blessing; year after year, He and His great brother, The Christ, work in the closest cooperation for the spiritual benefit of humanity.”

Alice Bailey

Based on legends, there is a valley in the heart of Himalayas, in western Tibet, surrounded by mountains all around, except the northeast.

A narrow pathway is open in the northeast direction, creating a bottleneck shape for the valley with its neck to the northeast. The width of the valley widens towards the south; and there is a huge flat rock located in the northern end, near the neck of the valley.

Near the time of the Full Moon of Taurus, known as the Wesak (Vesak), the valley gets filled with pilgrims from various areas and surrounding districts. The spiritual aspirants, lamas and teachers find their way into the valley and locate themselves in the southern and middle parts, leaving the northeastern portion free. In this way all the men and women of good will and the will to do good, who are active parts of the Divine Plan on earth, gather together on this auspicious moment that we know as Wesak (Vesak). These groups of spiritual workers are the main participants of the Wesak (Vesak) celebration.

As the legends run, they then arrange themselves in a special geometrical pattern in the northeastern end of the valley, and become prepared for the great act of service to the world and mankind, to help manifest the Divine Plan on earth.

This geometrical pattern is composed of a five-pointed star surrounded by concentric circles.

It is believed that in front of the altar rock, the three world teachers stand. The Lord Christ, Maitreya, stands in the center, with the Manu on his right and the Mahachohan on his left. These three great souls face the rock upon which a great crystal bowl, full of water is located.

Behind the spiritual Masters, Arhats, initiates, adepts and senior workers, the world’s disciples and aspirants stand at their various grades and groups, either with their physical body, or without it. These are believed to be the new group of world servers. The ones who are not in the physical body are gathered in the spiritual form or in the dream state to participate in this great world service.

When the exact time of Wesak (Vesak) full moon approaches, a deep state of stillness and calmness settles down upon the crowd. They arrange themselves in the pattern of the five-pointed star with the Christ standing at the highest point of the triangle, facing the altar rock. Certain spiritual movements and rituals are followed then and divine mantras are chanted. The Masters move in symbolic forms and chant verses in the ancient Pali language.

The energies generated and vibrations experienced, make the group work as one united whole, ready to receive the higher spiritual energies and distribute it to the world. The three words that describe the atmosphere at the time of the Wesak (Vesak) celebration are believed to be demand, readiness and expectancy.

When the exact time of Wesak (Vesak) approaches, the chanting and rhythmic weaving grows stronger and the participants look at the sky in the direction of the narrow path where they can see a tiny speck, which comes closer and closer. The form of the Lord Buddha then appears sitting in his Buddha-posture with his saffron-colored robe, full of light with his hand extended in blessing.

Leadbeater describes the Buddha as a gigantic figure with a brilliant aura, from which a glorious ultramarine is emanated, then golden yellow, crimson, pure silvery white and scarlet, with brilliant rays of green and violet shooting out from these spheres of light. These colors are described as the colors of Buddha’s aura in ancient Buddhist scriptures.

When Buddha arrives at the point exactly over the great rock and the crystal bowl of water, an invocation is recited by all the people participating in the Wesak (Vesak) festival, which sets a great vibration with a great potency on the people present, and the entire world, creating a moment of intensive spiritual effort and invaluable service to humanity, with effects that last throughout the succeeding months.

The effect of this great invocation is universal and links humanity with the cosmic consciousness and the supreme force, from which all the creation is originated.

This energy and blessing is released from Shamballa upon the earth through the Buddha and is then poured forth and the Christ as the representative of humanity receives it for distribution to all. The water in the crystal bowl is then held up and blessed by Him as the participants come forward one by one to sip the water. Participants also have their own water containers to receive blessings during the whole ceremony and especially at the final blessing.

Based on the legend, the Lord Buddha returns every year in the festival of Wesak (Vesak) to transmit a renewed spiritual energy and life through the Christ to humanity and the earth. Then he recedes into the distance and disappears until the next year.

Year after year he makes a sacrifice by coming down to the earth and blessing humanity with the energies of spirituality and wisdom. The Christ works in closest cooperation with him, and as the manifestation of God’s Love, he showers the humanity with divine love. Therefore every year, humanity is blessed with Divine Love, Light and Wisdom, to continue the mission and help manifest the Divine Plan on earth.

“Wesak links east and west, Buddha and Christ, Shamballa and Hierarchy, purpose and love.”

Alice Bailey

The blessings poured by Buddha last for only eight minutes every year during the time of the Wesak (Vesak) festival, and the whole ceremony takes about 30 minutes.

The ceremony ends when the Buddha holds up His right hand in blessing, as He slowly recedes, and is seen again as a tiny speck in the sky.

When the Lord Buddha disappears and the meditation finishes the crowd slowly disappears, heading back to their lands, to continue the service to mankind…