All dhammas are produced by Hetu-paccaya. Though impermanent, constantly arising and ceasing, they are continuously connected without interruption, just like flowing water. The preceding one, passing away, is followed by the succeeding one, causes producing effects in continuous series without interruption. This is looking at dhammas in a vertical sense in time. Horizontally, there are infinite differences among the varied types of causes and effects. Despite the complicated relationships between various types of causalities, they are bound by orderly rules without the least confusion. Each category of causes produces effects of the same type. For instance, a good cause leads to a good effect. Causes give rise to concordant effects, and effects correspond to causes. One type of cause can not give rise to another type of effect. For instance, if one sows melon seeds, one reaps the fruit of melons, and not beans. Buddhism believes that the law of causality is determined and unalterable even by the Buddhas of the successive epochs (past, present and future). This is the simple explanation of "causes and effects continuously connected without interruption", "various causes and effects falling into different categories", "cause and effect transferring in harmony and in compliance with each other" and "cause and effect functioning in order without confusion". Again, Buddhism also opposes the view that after its cessation, a phenomenon can not arise again, and terms this "the Annihilation-view" (Uccheda-di??hi). As to Buddhist analyses of cause, condition and effect, there are theories such as Six Causes, Four Conditions and Five Effects, which I shall not discuss in detail here.
因緣所生的一切法,固然是生滅無常的,而又是相續(xù)不斷的,如流水一般,前前逝去,后后生起,因因果果,沒有間斷,這是就豎的方面來說的。從橫的方面看,因果的品類有種種無量的差別。種種品類差別的因果關(guān)系固然錯(cuò)綜復(fù)雜,但其間又有井然的法則,一絲不亂。一類的因產(chǎn)生一類的果,如善因得善果,因與果相符,果與因相順;一類的因不能生另一類的果,如種瓜只能得瓜,不能得豆。佛教認(rèn)為因果的法則是決定的,雖三世(過去、現(xiàn)在、未來)諸佛也不能加以改變的。這就是“因果相續(xù)無間斷義”、“種種因果品類別義”、“因果更互相符順義”和“因果決定無雜亂義”的簡單解釋。佛教把主張“現(xiàn)象滅了就不再生起”的見解叫做“斷見”,也是反對的。關(guān)于因、緣、果的分析,佛教有六因、四緣、五果等說法,這里不一一介紹了。