台宗所立種熟脫三時之第一時。於久遠之昔聞談而下一乘之種子也。文句一上曰：「眾生久遠蒙佛善巧令種佛道因緣。」六十華嚴經十（明法品）曰：「下佛種子於眾生田，生此覺芽，是故能令佛寶不斷。」
To sow the seed; to preach, or teach. Tiantai defines three periods: (1) 種 when the seed of Buddha's teaching is sown in the heart; (2) 熟 when it ripens; (3) 脫 when it is stripped or harvested, i. e when one abandons all things.