Vaisesika Sūtra 2.2.09

नित्येष्वभावादनित्येषु भावात् कारणे कालाख्येति ॥९॥

nityeṣvabhāvādanityeṣu bhāvāt kāraṇe kālākhyeti ॥9॥

[नित्येषु (nityeṣu) - Continuity; अभावात् (abhāvāt) - is due to absence of becoming;अनित्येषु (anityeṣu) - the dis continuity; भावात् (bhāvāt) - is due to becoming; कारणे (kāraṇe) - the cause; कालाख्ये (kālākhye) - is due to the time; iti = thus]

Continuity is because of the absence of becoming, dis-continuity is because of becoming. The cause is, therefore, because of time.