War proliferates. Conflicts spread as fire leaps between fields of dry grass. In this season of insanity apocalyptic fire perches over all beings, threatening to reduce life to dust. What refuge have we practitioners, desperate and fearful, save the perfectly unfailing Three Jewels?

This eon’s guide, Shakya’s ornament,
Second Buddha, Orgyen’s Lake-Born Lord,
Eight close sons at your head Manjusri,
Chenrezig, and great Vajrapani,
Twenty-One Taras, and the Yidams,
Lineage Lords, and Elders’ Assembly,
Three Places’ Dakinis, and Dharma
Protectors, Four Direction Guardians,
Seventy Protectors, Great Masters:
in your wisdom turn to those at war.

Our shared karma of this final age,
froths like the wide ocean’s foaming waves.
Goodness is set by while demons churn
the minds of the powerful, spitting
forth wars that could reduce earth to dust.
Hurricanes of weapons hatch from these
aspirations to burn all to ash.
Omens portending our destruction
appear plain as day in sights, sounds, thoughts;
yet the ignorant remain in doubt,
stupefied, feeling no great alarm.
Our hearts brim with terror just to hear
or think of our world’s transformation.
Without means or hope to reverse this–
save the faithful Three Jewels and Three Roots
to whom we cry out like bawling babes.

Please hear our desp’rate prayers! Remember
your oaths of past ages and reach out
with compass’nate hands swift as lightning
to free us from terror, shelter us!
When the barbar’ans who plunder all
beings’ happiness plot their battles,
please transform these leaders and minions–
such ruthless evil doers into
peace, happiness, harmony’s champions!
Snuff out wars’ causes right where they are!
Expel and destroy these demon bombs!

Then throughout the great earth, may Dharma
teachers thrive, practice flourish for all!
Lib’rate the earth from these foul gangs’ claws
until not even their names remain!

May vast happiness saturate all
and their good deeds land them blessed births!
May this age become peaceful, golden
and beings enraptured by joy’s dance!

Through the ocean of jewels’ compassion
and Dharmadhatu’s truthful power
may pure prayers and purposes bear fruit
and our hopes and aspirations bloom.

Conversing with Tara herself, I, the gutter tantrika Soror Amrta was moved to set the words of Chatral Rinpoche’s prayer to verse from the translation prepared by Lotsawa House. May goodness, merit, and virtue increase as the sky treasury! May not even the names disease, famine, and war be heard across the land!