Theory of causation (Satkāryavāda)

Causation means the appearance or manifestation of a quality due to certain changes of collocations in the causes which were already held in them in a potential form. Production of effect only means an internal change of the arrangement of atoms in the cause, and this exists in it in a potential form^[1].

In the Indian Philosophy there are two views on the theory of causation,

1. Satkāryavāda and
2. Asatkāryavāda.

Satkāryavāda maintains that kārya is sat or real. It is present in the kāraṇa in a potential form, even before its manifestation. Asatkāryavāda maintains that kārya is asat or unreal until it comes in to being. Every effect then, is a new beginning and is not born out of cause. Pariṇāmavāda suggests that the effect is the real pariṇāma of the cause. The Sāṃkhya favours Prakṛti pariṇāmavāda.

Satkāryavāda

In the Sāṃkhya philosophy the most important theory is Satkāryavāda. It plays a very important role in the Sāṃkhya evolution. It unfolds several postulates of the Sāṃkhya evolution. The Sāṃkhya theory of evolution is based on its theory of causation-Satkāryavāda. The causation asserts that effect exists in its manifestation. As effect (kārya) is said to be existent (sat) in the cause before its revelation, this is known as Satkāryavāda to contrast with Asatkāryavāda un helped by the Nyāya Vaiśeṣika system.

Sāṃkhyakārikā discusses that—

asadakaraṇādupādānagrahaṇātsarvasaṃbhavābhāvāt |
śaktasya śakyakaraṇāt kāraṇabhāvācca satkāryam || ^[2]

Effect subsists even prior to the operation of the cause for that which does not exist cannot be by any means brought in to existence. Further only appropriate materials are selected. Everything is not by every means possible. Capability causes produce only that which they are competent to produce, and the effect is not different from the cause.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

A History of Indian Philosophy, Das gupta, vol. I, p. 257.

[2]:

Sāṃkhyakārikā, 9.