Vaisesika Sūtra 6.2.10

असति चाभावात् ॥१०॥

asati ca-abhāvāt ॥10॥

[असति (asati) - if nonexistent; च (ca) - and; अभावात् (abhāvāt) - due to absence;]

And if nonexistent, due to absence (of defect).