Preface to the Diamond Samadhi Sutra

Tiantai Mountain Huading Temple Successor Monk Yizhen's Commentary

Distinguishing Pronunciation and Meaning<note place="inline">All cases where the actual form is ambiguous or involves phonetic changes are first annotated for ease of

(The character 祇 (zhī) means “only” or “just.” It is used in phrases like 祇如 (zhī rú) and 祇有 (zhī yǒu). Nowadays it is often mistakenly written as 秖, which is incorrect. It is also pronounced qí, as in 神祇 (shén qí, “deities”). Terms such as 祇夜 (qí yè) and 祇陀 (qí tuó) are derived from this pronunciation.)

("音止" means "the pronunciation is 'zhi'." "側也" means "to lean to the side." "擊也" means "to strike." "扺對之扺當用此" means "the character 扺 in the phrase 扺對 should use this one." "葢以手擊節而對" means "it likely refers to striking a rhythm with the hand in response." "今作秖祇，皆誤" means "nowadays it is written as 秖 or 祇, both are incorrect.")

It is pronounced as "bié" when it means "different" or "separate"; and as "biè" when it means "to distinguish" or "to differentiate."

When it means to praise or extol, it is pronounced with the level tone; when it means a name or to be called, it is pronounced with the departing tone.

As for conduct and movement, it is pronounced "heng". Virtuous conduct and speech, it is pronounced "xing". Ranks and arrangements, it is pronounced "hang". To carry out affairs for the benefit of others, it is pronounced "hen".

(The word "池" (chí) has two pronunciations. When it refers to a pond or pool that has not yet been managed, it is pronounced with the level tone; when it refers to one that has already been managed, it is pronounced with the departing tone.)