The basic text of the Vaisheshika school of philosophy, which proposed that matter is made of tiny indivisible particles (paramanu), was written by:

The "Vaisheshika Sutra", the basic text of the Vaisheshika school of Indian philosophy, was written by the sage Kanada.

About Kanada:

• He is believed to have lived around the 6th-2nd century BCE (his date is uncertain).
• His name "Kanada" is said to mean "atom-eater", because of his theory of atoms, or because he lived on grains (kana) picked from the fields.
• He is also called "Kashyapa" and "Uluka".

The Vaisheshika philosophy:

• "Vaisheshika" comes from "vishesha", meaning "particularity" or "distinctiveness".
• It is a realistic and pluralistic philosophy that classifies all things that exist into categories ("padarthas").
• The six (later seven) categories are: substance (dravya), quality (guna), action (karma), generality (samanya), particularity (vishesha), inherence (samavaya), and later, non-existence (abhava).
• It proposed an atomic theory: all material objects are made of very small, indivisible and eternal particles called "paramanu" (atoms).
• Atoms of earth, water, fire and air combine to form larger objects.
• This is one of the earliest atomic theories in the world.

Relation with Nyaya:

The Vaisheshika school is closely related to the Nyaya school of logic; the two were later combined as "Nyaya-Vaisheshika".

Later Vaisheshika thinkers:

Prashastapada (around 6th century CE) wrote an important commentary, "Padarthadharmasangraha".

The six orthodox schools of Indian philosophy and their founders:

Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Purva Mimamsa and Vedanta; of these, Vaisheshika was founded by Kanada.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Kapila, Gautama (Akshapada) and Jaimini are associated with other schools.