佛學嘅「原因條件的假合」,其實係要反對substance,而呢個工作,喺西方哲學內部亦有人做過,佢就係不時畀人拎嚟同佛學對照嘅Hume。
當西方去到Hume嘅哲學,就開始大力對substance加以懷疑。Hume喺《人性論》就指出,古希臘哲學家對於substance以及accident嘅關係係講唔通,所謂accident,就係我哋講緊嘅事物嘅構成部分,依家更常用嘅概念,叫做property。對Hume嚟講,古希臘哲學家所講嘅substance,只係一種false supposition。而古希臘哲學家靠住substance呢個false supposition,解釋人點解自然咁判斷到蘋果as a蘋果。
But these philosophers… both suppose a substance supporting, which they do not understand, and an accident supported, of which they have as imperfect an idea. The whole system, therefore, is entirely incomprehensible, and yet is deriv'd from principles as natural as any of these above-explain'd.(A Treatise of Human Nature, T 1.4.3.8, SBN 222)

點解substance係false supposition呢?咁我哋就離開Hume,返到去佛學,繼續講講事物嘅構成。