Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s10.t8.32

v1.c7.s10.t8.32

**“Non-pre-existence of Effect in Cause” Theory -** Like many schools of philosophy in ancient India, the Vaisheshika school also put a special emphasis on the theory of causationism, with the *Vaiśeṣika-sūtra* discussing it extensively. Vaisheshika school opposed the general view that cause and result are inseparable from each other. For instance, the sutra states, “there won’t be an effect without a cause, but there might be a cause without an effect”, setting out to emphasise that effect cannot exist without cause, but cause can exist without effect.” For instance, a table (the effect) cannot exist apart from wood (the cause), but we cannot say the wood does not exist if there is no table.