This theory, also associated with the Yoga school of Patanjali, is the systematic unfolding of Uddalaka Aruni’s 'substantialism' and 'eternalism' (Sassatavada).
Ishvarakrishna in his Samkhyakarika Sl.9 gives five reasons why the effect has to pre-exist in its material cause – असदकरणादुपादानग्रहणात् सर्वसम्भवाभावात् । शक्तस्य शक्यकरणात् कारणभावाच्च सत्कार्यम् ॥ ९ ॥[1] During Vedic times, in seeking to determine the rta or order underlying all phenomena, a postulation was made that change can be understood in terms of a potency inherent in these phenomena, that is, in the cause to produce the effect, this potency was termed svadha (own power).
Therefore, Totakacharya, a disciple of Shankara, in Srutisarasamuddharanam Sloka 151 states – even if one thinks that the world, beginning with the mind, does somehow originate according to either the prior existence or the non-existence (of the effect), even then it is not real; for the sruti has declared that it is unreal.
Sankara extends satkaryavada to state that creation is but manifestation of names and forms only; by transforming into Becoming the indeterminate becomes determinate in association with maya, otherwise the world is unreal – the acosmic approach shows creation to be a superimposition on Brahman whereas according to the subjective approach the phenomenal world of diversity is unreal, a mere dream.
[6] Sankara defends satkaryavada against asatkaryavada but in the light of vivartavada as distinguished from parinamavada, he posits the infinite and eternal as the goal of human aspirations, distinguishing paramartha and vyavahara and agreeing that the former is timeless and the latter, fundamentally impermanent and insubstantial, differing though in their analysis of empirical things and causality.
This theory, also associated with the Yoga school, is the systematic unfolding of Udalaka Aruni’s (Chandogya Upanishad VI.i.4-5) 'substantialism' and 'eternalism'.
[10] The followers of the Samkhya school hold that karya ('effect') is sat ('existent') even before karakavyapara ('causal operation') renders avirbhuta ('manifest') from tirohita ('unmanifest condition').