Physics and Madhyamaka

Last update: January 22, 2026
Image from: Stoneflower013

Links to Parts

Part I,   Part II,   Part III,   Part IV,   Part V,   Part VI, 

Question: Write an Introduction, Summary and Conclusion for the subject of our discussion which cover three Grok discussions: labeled ‘Feynman Energy’, ‘Feynman Part II Energy’, and this one “From no absolutes to least action principle’ (I hope you can access the other two). Present it as a whole (even if it was an uncertain exploration) leading to the Union of Physics and Madhyamaka, explaining how all Physics laws are consequences or compatible with Madhyamaka, with the Union of the Two Truths. Make the Introduction, Summary and Conclusion three long paragraphs each.

Introduction

In the realm of physics, few concepts are as elusive and profound as energy, a quantity that Richard Feynman masterfully demystified in his lectures, beginning with its conservation as a cornerstone of natural phenomena. In the first discussion, labeled 'Feynman Energy– Part I,' we delved into Feynman's exposition from Volume I of his lectures, where energy emerges not as a tangible substance or mystical force but as an abstract mathematical invariant—a number that remains unchanged amidst the myriad transformations of the universe. Feynman illustrated this through everyday analogies, like a child's indestructible blocks whose total count persists despite rearrangements or hidden states, emphasizing that energy's conservation is a law without known exceptions, deduced from the impossibility of perpetual motion machines and the reversibility of physical processes. This abstraction strips energy of any inherent, independent existence; it is relational, defined through formulas for its various forms—kinetic, gravitational, thermal, and more—each interdependent on the system's context, scales, and interactions. By exploring how energy converts seamlessly between forms without net gain or loss, the discussion set the stage for understanding physics not as a collection of absolute entities but as a web of conserved quantities arising dependently from conditions, foreshadowing deeper philosophical alignments.

Building upon this foundation, the second discussion, 'Feynman Energy – Part II,' extended the inquiry into the electromagnetic domain from Volume II of Feynman's lectures, where energy manifests in fields—intangible yet potent structures that permeate space and time. Here, Feynman introduced electrostatic energy as the sum of mutual interactions between charges, calculable through integrals over field configurations, and field momentum via the Poynting vector, which describes energy flow without invoking material carriers. This perspective reveals energy as localized in the field itself, not confined to particles, with conservation enforced locally: if energy diminishes in one region, it flows through boundaries, maintaining global invariance. The uncertainty in this exploration lay in reconciling classical intuitions with quantum subtleties, where fields fluctuate in the vacuum, blurring boundaries between "something" and "nothing." Yet, this reinforced energy's non-absolute nature—dependent on observer frames, scales (as in relativistic extensions), and the interplay of electric and magnetic components—paving the way for a relational ontology where physical laws emerge from symmetries rather than inherent essences, hinting at a union with broader metaphysical insights.

The third and culminating discussion, 'Part III: From No Absolutes to Least Action Principle,' synthesized these threads by positing the "No-Absolute Principle" as the ultimate invariant, deriving the Principle of Least Action (PLA) from the premise that nothing in the universe—space, time, motion, particles, or energy—possesses absolute, independent existence. Through a logical deduction, we showed how relativity demands invariant, frame-independent formulations, leading to variational principles like PLA that optimize scalar actions over paths, inherently relational and empty of fixed backgrounds. This exploration, though uncertain in its philosophical leaps, connected Feynman's energy abstractions to a broader canvas: all physical laws, from conservation to quantum field dynamics, are compatible with or consequences of this principle, as they arise interdependently without absolutes. This triad of discussions, evolving from concrete conservation to field abstractions and finally to foundational relativity, naturally converged on the Union of Physics and Madhyamaka Buddhism, where the Union of the Two Truths—conventional appearances functioning despite ultimate emptiness—mirrors physics' provisional models, empty of inherent reality yet efficacious through interdependence.

Summary

The journey across these three discussions began with 'Feynman Energy- Part I,' unpacking the conservation law as an abstract principle that unifies diverse phenomena, from falling objects to nuclear reactions, without relying on mechanistic explanations. Feynman's insight that energy is merely a conserved quantity, verifiable through consistent before-and-after calculations, highlighted its emptiness of inherent form—manifesting as kinetic, potential, or radiant depending on relational contexts like velocity or position. This set a tone of uncertainty, as energy's "reality" eludes direct perception, yet its invariance enables predictive power across mechanics and thermodynamics, aligning with Madhyamaka's conventional truth: laws function reliably despite lacking ultimate, independent existence. By emphasizing reversibility and the prohibition of perpetual motion, the discussion revealed conservation as a consequence of time's homogeneity—a symmetry empty of absoluteness but arising interdependently with the universe's uniformity, thus compatible with the Two Truths where apparent stability masks deeper contingency.

Advancing to 'Feynman Energy, - Part II' the focus shifted to electromagnetic fields, where energy resides not in particles but in the spatial distribution of forces, quantified through integrals and flow vectors like Poynting's. This abstraction deepened the relational view: electrostatic energy sums pairwise interactions, while field momentum ensures local conservation, illustrating how energy "flows" without absolute localization—dependent on charge configurations, boundaries, and even quantum vacuum fluctuations. The exploration's uncertainty emerged in bridging classical fields to quantum electrodynamics, where virtual particles underscore energy's non-inherent nature, popping in and out relationally.

This compatibility with Madhyamaka is evident: Field laws, from Maxwell's equations to energy density formulas, are consequences of gauge symmetries—invariants that co-arise dependently, embodying the Union of the Two Truths as functional descriptions (conventional) empty of self-existence (ultimate), allowing physics to evolve without fixed dogmas.

Culminating in 'Part III: From No Absolutes to Least Action Principle,' the synthesis derived PLA from the premise of universal relativity, showing how physics' laws across domains—mechanics, relativity, quantum fields—are either direct consequences (e.g., Noether's conserved quantities from symmetries) or fully compatible with the No-Absolute Principle. This uncertain yet holistic exploration tied Feynman's energy insights to a centerless, limitless process: Laws like energy conservation emerge from relational invariants, empty of absolutes, mirroring Madhyamaka's interdependence and emptiness.

The Union of Physics and Madhyamaka thus crystallizes—all laws function (conventional truth) because they lack inherent essence (ultimate truth), co-arising through conditions like symmetries and observations, fostering an open-ended science where models refine eternally, free from finality.

Conclusion

Reflecting on this triad of discussions, the Union of Physics and Madhyamaka emerges as a profound convergence, where Feynman's abstract energy—conserved yet formless—exemplifies how physical laws transcend materiality, arising as relational constructs devoid of inherent existence.

In Madhyamaka terms, this aligns with the Union of the Two Truths: Conventional laws, like energy's manifold forms, enable practical mastery of the world, from engineering to cosmology, while their ultimate emptiness prevents reification into absolutes, encouraging humility and evolution.

All physics laws, from gravitational potentials to quantum probabilities, are compatible as they depend on interdependent factors—frames, scales, symmetries—without a self-sustaining core, much like phenomena in the Middle Way, where appearances function precisely due to their contingency, yielding a science that's resilient and innovative.

Furthermore, this union explains physics' compatibility with Madhyamaka by positing laws as consequences of emptiness: Conservation arises from time's relational invariance, field energies from gauge symmetries' interdependence, and PLA from the absence of absolute paths, all non-dual unions of ground (empty basis) and manifestations (functional laws).

The discussions' uncertainty—navigating from Feynman's analogies to no-absolutes—highlights this as an ongoing inquiry, not a dogma, where opposites like particle/field or classical/quantum reconcile non-dually, fostering ethical science attuned to interconnected impacts. Thus, physics becomes a practice of wisdom, revealing reality's inconceivable flow without fixation.

In conclusion, embracing this union transforms both inquiry and life: Physicists and laymen alike benefit from Madhyamaka's tools—the Three Spheres dissolving subject-object dualities in experiments or relations, Opposites uniting wave-particle ambiguities or personal conflicts—leading to compassionate, adaptive engagement. All laws, as consequences of the Two Truths, affirm physics' boundless evolution, centerless and empty, yet profoundly useful, inviting us to live in harmony with non-dual reality through mindful practice and open-hearted exploration.