The System of the Vedanta according to Badarayana's Brahma-Sutras and Cankara's Commentary c7.s3.t2.3

c7.s3.t2.3

Space can have had no origin, says Kaṇāda, for the following reasons: (1) How can one conceive the causal relation between space as an effect, and its cause? The cause (kāraṇam), of an effect (for example, a textile fabric) has three moments, as samavāyi-asamavāyi-nimitta-kāraṇam, that is, inherent cause (the threads), non-inherent cause (the union of the threads), and efficient cause (weaver and loom). The inherent cause consists of a substance, which is (a) homogeneous (ekajātīyaka), (b) manifold (aneka) [like the atoms of Kaṇāda]. "Now for space, there is no homogeneous and manifold substance, from which, as inherent cause, together with the union of the same (that is, of its particles), as non-inherent cause, space could originate. And if this does not exist, much less can we think of an assisting efficient cause for space" (p. 608, 8 ff.).