Aptness of the vision for the West"When I first began to investigate experience and events in terms of time, space, and knowledge, I wondered why these three topics should have come to the foreground. There are certainly other compelling ways to make sense of human experience and the human world. As I shared my investigations with others, however, I began to appreciate that this way of investigating has powerful advantages.
"A focus on time, space, and knowledge fits well with the Western mind, for time and space are objective factors in our lives, and knowledge is central to all that we do. Without time, we could not be alive; without space, we could not be embodied. Experience, appearance, and action all depend on time, space, and knowledge. Yet these fundamental facets of being are not widely appreciated or discussed; indeed, for the most part they are taken for granted. "An inquiry centered on time, space, and knowledge offers an opportunity for clear and incisive analysis. It can draw on cultural concepts and terms that resonate with some of the most creative trends in Western thought. It also harmonizes well with concerns that arise naturally in a society where time seems always to be speeding up, space is subject to steady manipulation, and knowledge changes dramatically with each generation." (Tarthang Tulku, pp. xii-xiii, Dynamics of Time and Space) Books of the TSK SeriesTime, Space, and Knowledge: A New Vision of Reality
'An integrated, natural intelligence, unfragmented into reasons, emotions, sensations, and intuitions, is our greatest treasure." Inviting readers on a journey into the fundamental principles that govern human experience, Time, Space, and Knowledge presents our current understanding of reality and human nature as one particular 'focal setting' on experience. As an alternative to the dichotomies and positionings of conventional thought, it offers a unified vision that unfolds from the interplay of space and time with knowledge. In the TSK vision, boundless creativity emerges as the human birthright, offering complete freedom and ever surprising opportunities. Thirty-five experiential exercises, closely integrated with the text, turn theory into direct experience. This book reveals with remarkable clarity that time and space can manifest differently, with lasting implications for what it means to be alive. 306 pp., 35 exercises, 17 color plates, ISBN 0-913546-08-9. Also available in Dutch, German and Italian. Published by Dharma Publishing, along with all the other Time-Space-Knowledge books. Love of Knowledge: Foundation, Inquiry, and Transformation "Love of Knowledge proceeds by returning to a point 'before the beginning'---tracing out links between space, time, and knowledge and our ordinary understanding." - Preface Love of Knowledge combines experiential exercises, graphics, poetry, and logic to challenge conventional claims to truth and awaken the true "love of knowledge" ("philo-sophia") that has always guided visionary insight and healing wisdom. Starting with an inquiry that identifies and analyzes the structures of conventional thought that give rise to "technological" knowledge, the book goes on to question the ways we generate and activate our ordinary understanding. There is a special emphasis on the different identities and roles played by the self and how they are set in place. Encouraging inquiry free from all positioning and conditioning and "commitment without commitment," Love of Knowledge holds special interest for readers trained in Western approaches to knowledge. 411 pp., diagrams, 50 exercises, glossary, ISBN 089800-138-2. Also available in Dutch. Knowledge of Time and Space: Opening the Heart of Creativity This work celebrates the power of time and space to free us from all limitations. Light and dancing, deep and provocative, the text communicates the pleasure of unbounded inquiry. Like an ever-fresh work of art, it reveals in over 100 short chapters the facets of an organic vision, sweeping the reader up into an improvisational adventure that explores the flashing aliveness of knowledge. 499 pp., 8 exercises, ISBN 0-89800-206-0. Also available in Portuguese. Dynamics of Time and Space: Transcending Limits on Knowledge "In the beginning I thought about time and space and knowledge more or less as everyone else does. Now . . . I have found that I am truly not separate from space and time and knowledge, and it seems to me that this is true for all of us." - Preface Friendly and supportive, helpful in surprising ways, yet also deeply challenging, Dynamics of Time and Space draws readers gently into a new way of understanding time and space, casting experience in a new light. An extended treatment of the relation of time and pain has been of great benefit to numerous individuals. Many readers find Dynamics the most accessible of all the TSK volumes, a fresh point of entry into this transformative vision. 339 pp., 25 exercises, ISBN 0-89800-266-4. Also available in German. Sacred Dimensions of Time and Space Although Sacred Dimensions---the most recent work in the TSK series---continues and expands themes from the earlier volumes, it also offers a wholly new approach. Starting from the most fundamental fact of all--our presence in the world--it builds up a new "geometry of meaningful existence," in which zero, ratio, cones, and the number 16 all take on remarkable significance. The presentation as a whole represents a challenge to our sense of how knowledge can emerge, even for readers who have found inspiration in the earlier titles. More than forty graphics, included in an appendix, guide the reader toward visualizing a new way of being. 261 pp., ISBN 0-89800-360-1. |
 The historical development"The TSK vision is dedicated to the exploration of time, space, and knowledge as facets of human being. I first began to focus seriously on this way of understanding in 1975, and the vision became available to the public late in 1977, with the publication of Time, Space, and Knowledge.
"Readers found the new book both challenging and rewarding. Almost immediately they asked for classes and other forms of instruction. I had led some exploratory seminars starting in 1976; now I offered several workshops and training programs to help make these new ideas more accessible. In 1979 authorized teachers began to present classes, workshops, and intensive programs. That year a nine-month intensive program based on the new book was held at the Nyingma Institute in Berkeley, and for several years after that there were annual intensives, both in Berkeley and elsewhere. "As interest spread to other lands, workshops were organized in Europe, Asia, South America, and the Middle East. Within a few years after publication, translations of the TSK book had appeared in Dutch, German, and Italian. and unofficial translations were circulating in the Former Soviet Union. There was also a positive reaction in the academic realm, and over the years Time, Space, and Knowledge has been adopted for use in more than a hundred university and college classes. Much of this interest has been quite solid and long-lasting. For many years now there have been ongoing programs based on TSK in The Netherlands, where some students have been actively engaged in study and practice for more than a decade. Informal study programs two years or longer in length have also been organized in Russia, Ukraine, Australia, and Germany, as well as in the United States. "Encouraged by this continuing enthusiasm for the vision, by a steady stream of letters from readers, and by intensive discussions with friends, I have continued with my own investigations. A second book in the TSK series,Love of Knowledge, was published in 1987. This was followed in 1990 by Knowledge of Time and Space. In each case, readers responded with strong appreciation. Intensive programs based on these books were held at the Nyingma Institute from 1988 through 1991, and translations of one or both titles are now underway in several countries. "One early indication of interest in TSK was the publication in 1980 of a two-volume collection of essays, Dimensions of Thought. Here professionals from a number of fields reported on their reactions to the new vision, and serious students described some of their experiences. In many cases they drew parallels and made connections to their own disciplines that expanded the potential scope of the vision. "These two volumes launched a new Dharma Publishing series under the title Perspectives on TSK. Earlier this year [1993], the third volume in this series, Mastery of Mind, was published. The present work, which has been edited by Jack Petranker and other members of the Dharma Publishing editorial staff, is my response to this new expression of interest in the vision. As more works in the Perspectives series are published, I plan to continue making further contributions of my own." (Tarthang Tulku, pp. vii-ix, Visions of Knowledge) The newest releases by Tarthang Tulku in the Time-Space-Knowledge series are Dynamics of Time and Space. (1994) and Sacred Dimensions of Tiime and Space (1997). The newest releases in the Perspectives on TSK series are Light of Knowledge (1997), A New Kind of Knowledge (2004), and A New Way of Being (2004). Books in the Perspectives on TSK SeriesDimensions of Thought: Current Explorations in Time, Space, and Knowledge
Published in 1980, this two-volume set of thirteen essays by early readers of Time, Space, and Knowledge includes contributions from a number of well-known philosophers, phenomenologists, and psychologists, as well an extensive interview with Tarthang Tulku that offers one of the best short introductions to the TSK vision. Not surprisingly, these early essays tend to emphasize comparisons with other thinkers and approaches. Volume 2 also contains numerous short reports by readers. Each volume is available separately, Vol. 1, 237 pp.; Vol. 2 , 293 pp. ISBN 0-913546-79-8 (vol. 1); 0-913546-80-1 (Vol. 2). Mastery of Mind This set of eight articles by long-term students of TSK shows a shift away from theory toward applications. These are essays in the literal sense of the word: attempts to come to terms with fundamental issues. Their integrity and their respect for the TSK vision are reminders of how much the vision has to contribute to knowledge in all its aspects. 380 pp., paperback ISBN 089800-245-1. Visions of Knowledge: Liberation of the Modern Mind The principal parts of this book were written by Tarthang Tulku, in acknowledgement of the work that went into Mastery of Mind. Exploratory, dynamic, and richly suggestive, Visions of Knowledge draws on the power of imagination and speculation to transform standard ways of knowing. Light and accessible, it invokes a transforming intelligence that delights in the riches available within ordinary experience. Part One offers sixty questions, with related commentary, as tools for inquiry. Part Two consists of short, related essays. Also included are comments by students and an analytic outline of Knowledge of Time and Space. 177 pp., 4 color plates, appendices. ISBN 08900-258-3. Light of Knowledge: Essays on the Interplay of Knowledge, Time and Space Eleven articles, including an illuminating essay by Tarthang Tulku on "Geographies of Knowledge." Mostly written in an academic style, these articles suggest deepening appreciation for the TSK vision and the role it could play in our culture. 444 pp., ISBN 0-89800-287-7 A New Way of Being Twenty-three practitioners offer an inviting introduction to the T5K vision by showing how it unfolds in their own practice and thinking. Some apply TSK to their professions or fields, others engage in dialogs transcribed from study groups. Each article conveys a commitment to go beyond the limits of conventional knowledge, language, and concepts. 292 pp., ISBN 0-89800-356-3. A New Kind of Knowledge An engaging collection of seventeen articles by students who approach the underlying relation of time and space to knowledge from a wide range of perspectives, using a variety of styles. The tone is both friendly and invigorating. The articles contain penetrating reflections on knowledge, time, and experience, as well as exploring practical applications in psychology, teaching, business, and time management. 300 pp., ISBN 0-89800-357-1. |