Vedantin: The defect indeed lies in this that, this veiw is not in accord with the Lord's view.
Objection: How is this known?
Vedantin: Since the Lord as said, 'Of the unreal there is no being৷৷.,' etc. (2.16). The view of the followers of Kanada is, indeed, this that the non-existent becomes existent, and the existent becomes nonexistent.
Objection: What defect can there be if it be that this view, even though not the view of the Lord, yet conforms to reason?
Vedantin: The answer is: This is surely faulty since it contradicts all valid evidence.
Objection: How?
Vedantin: As to this, if things like a dvyanuka (dyad of two anus, atoms) be absolutely non-existent before origination, and after origination continue for a little while, and again become absolutely non-existent, then, in that case, the existent which was verily non-existent comes into being, a non-entity becomes an entity, and an entity becomes a non-entity! If this be the view, then the non-entity that is to take birth is comparable to the horns of a hare before it is born, and it comes into being with the help of what are called material (inherent), non-material (non-inherent) and efficient causes. But it cannot be said that non-existence has origination in this way, or that it depends on some cause, since this is not seen in the case of non-existent things like horns of a hare, etc. If such things as pot etc. which are being produced be of the nature of (potentially) existing things, then it can be accepted that they originate by depending on some cause which merely manifests them. [According to Vedanta, before origination a thing, e.g. a pot, remains latent in its material cause, clay for instance, with its name and form unexpressed, and it depends on other causes for the manifestation of name and form.] Moreover, if the non-existent becomes existent, and the existent becomes non-existent, then nobody will have any faith while dealing with any of the means of valid knowledge objects of such knowledge, because the conviction will be lacking that the existent is existent and the non-existent is non-existent! Further, when they speak of origination, they (the Vaisesikas) hold that such a thing as a dvyanuka (dyad) comes to have relationship with its own (material) causes (the two atoms) and existence, and that it is non-existent before origination; but later on, depending on the operation of its own causes, it becomes connected with its own causes, viz the atoms, as also with existence, through the inherent (or inseparable) relationship called samavaya. After becoming connected, it becomes an existent thing by its inherent relationship with its causes. [The effect (dyad) has inherent relationship with existence after its material causes (the two atoms) come into association.] It has to be stated in this regard as to how the non-existent can have an existent as its cause, or have relationship with anything. For nobody can establish through any valid means of knowledge that a son of a barren woman can have any existence or relationship or cause.