Karika 9: The effect exists before it is produced

The effect exists even prior to its manifestation from the cause because:

- [That which is] non-existent cannot be produced [by any means] (asat-akaraṇāt),

- Every specific effect requires a specific material cause (upādāna-grahaṇāt),

- Not all effects can arise from all causes (sarva-saṃbhava-abhāvāt),

- Only a potent cause can produce the effect that lies within its power (śaktasya śakya-karaṇāt), and

- The effect is essentially non-different from its cause (kāraṇa-bhāvāt).