觀音義疏 2.72

2.72

宰官者，宰主義官是功能義，謂三台以功能，能輔政於主，故云宰官。郡縣亦稱為宰官，宰政民下也。

'Ministers and officials': 'minister' (zai) means master; 'official' (guan) means functional capacity. This refers to the Three Platforms who, through their functional capacity, are able to assist the master in governance, hence they are called ministers and officials. Commandery and county [magistrates] are also called ministers and officials, because they govern the people beneath them.