七佛八菩薩所說大陀羅尼神呪經 4.29

4.29

「四大天王中，我最為第一，
我雖作天王，不脫鬼神苦。
我作鬼神王，已經五百歲，
東西常馳騁，濟度諸群生。
哀哉過去世，曾作人中王，
治化不以理，今作鬼王身。
又願諸國王，正治於國事，
莫作貪濁行，復受鬼神身。」

"Among the Four Great Heavenly Kings, / I am the very foremost;
although I am a heavenly king, / I have not escaped the suffering of ghosts and spirits.
I have been a king of ghosts and spirits / for already five hundred years,
constantly galloping east and west / to ferry across the multitude of beings.
Alas, in a past life / I was once a king among men;
governing and transforming not in accordance with principle, / I now bear the body of a spirit king.
I further pray that all kings of nations / govern their state affairs with rectitude:
do not engage in greedy and turbid conduct, / only to receive again a ghost or spirit body."