The Third Eye

I read this and several other Lobsang Rampa books 30 years ago when around ten years of age and never revisited them. I found them absolutely the most absorbing experience, breathtakingly outclassing my very thorough traditional Christian education and sowing the seeds (little did I know it then) of my adoption of Buddhism a decade and a half later (Rampa then not playing any role of which I was conscious). Reading some of these reviews, I dare not take another dip: it may be that there is much that is not conventional in Rampa's stories. That they so exquisitely, so powerfully lead an otherwise rutted mind into a state more ready to receive Buddha's Truth is more than enough for me - and, I hope, you. There is pure joy here.

Lopsang Rampa was an imposter. His real name was Cyril Henry Hoskin, a plumber's son from Devon, England who never left England. He knows nothing of Tibet or Buddhism, but this work of fiction is pleasantly entertaining.

Some reviewers are lamenting if Rampa was genuine, or if it was just a giant hoax. I submit that we all know the truth when we see it, hear it, or read it. The truth excites us, we feel it somewhere in our chests, somewhere in our minds it creates a spark (usually of interest, but sometimes of panic or denial). This can also be called "inspiration", and inspire is what Rampa books do. I say just buy the used book for $5 and see how you react to it. Before my conscious mind allowed the truth in, I was considered the arrogant skeptic who always demanded some ridiculous level of "scientific proof" for anything outside my narrow belief system. Slowly though, my conscious mind started to wake up and I realized my Western scientific mind set was largely fantasy and supported by corporate and political agendas far more than the Truth. Could Rampa be telling 100% of the truth as he saw it? Why not? [...]What Rampa reports (and don't forget this was in the mid 1950s for pete's sake) might be much more "real" than we would rather know. Although, you already know the truth somewhere within you, but you just need something to "jog your memory" and this book might just do that.

***** Just another one of my reviews that was heavily edited by the store one day without notice or explanation. In addition to actually deleting 40 reviews entirely back a few years ago. How and why was this done?

First book of 24 written by author, The third eye is the autobiography until 16 years of age, when he is sent by the Dalai Lama of that time to go in the West and spread ancient Tibetan teachings. Later (that is, not in this book), Rampa claims having been through Japanese and communist Chinese prisons, tortured, and then later, with the approval of the owner, he entered the body of a British and started writing books. I personally consider the story authentic, but nevertheless almost everyone would agree it is an interesting read, although the writing style is a bit strange, as if English was not the first language (e.g. you see many times the verb at the end, as is "and from there down we went").
The third eye presents elements of Tibetan daily life of early 20th century and the preparations and trainings to become a lama. In this review I'll mostly put aside the monastic training and focus on the lay people's life - but I recommend reading the book to get parts I'm missing.
Well, I can say that people are people everywhere and live mostly the same - a lot of strange and useless traditions just to show off your wealth and social rank, such as decorations throughout a house, or, for a hostess, have attendants wear her cloths to show her guests how many beautiful clothing she had, or wear HUGE earrings that actually required using a thread, lest the ear lobe gets torn apart. Obviously, women are focusing on issues that make little sense to women (and I guess the other way around), like in every country's society.
And yet, the life in Tibet was very different, especially because of the harsh climate. They had little wood, and what they had was very hard, so it was imported from India. Yak dug was used as a fuel, even though it had an acrid smell. Everyone had to do their job... or else.
Life was hard, and to spare the new born of later difficulties - both for them and for their families - they were taken to an ice cold water stream and put inside, except the face, until they turned violet. If they didn't survive, Tibetans considered that's best for such a weakling, for Tibet has no mercy for anyone. Death was part of life. For example, if there was a sudden violent wind storm or bursts, if you didn't get into a shelter you have been blown away and crushed on the rocks or hills. When someone died, they held services, held the body for 3 days, then - for masters - embalmed the body, cover it with gold and put it in underground hallways dedicated for storing honored ancestors. However, for most of the people, the story of their body was different. In Tibetan religion - a branch of Buddhism - body is just a vehicle for the soul, former gets worn and then latter reincarnates in a new body. Burying was difficult - fertile land is limited and otherwise ground is rocky. Similarly, as mentioned, wood was a limited resource mostly imported from India with great efforts to carry it in the mountains. Hence, the bodies were taken away outside the fields, torn and cut apart and fed to vultures and other like birds, including the bones which were crushed into a powder.
In Tibet, people preferred the traditional life, with a slower pace, so that they have time for feeding the soul (praying, meditating, resting). Wheels and wheeled devices were banned - their prophecies which foretold of the Chinese invasions, also stated that wheels are to bring wars and conquest of Tibet.
However, the life of the country was presented mostly as a context, as a background, the emphasis is on the life and trainings of the author. Everything was done according to astrology, and in his case he was told he must go to a lamasery and become a doctor priest.
The focus of the book is on the training and preparations of the 7 year old boy sent to monastery, but I would do the book a disservice trying to mention them, just they were many and hard.
Particularly, the title refers to an surgery being done at the age of 8, when a circular piece of bone was removed at the base of the nose, a small circular wooden piece put there and then the boy was kept for three weeks in darkness on very little food. After that, the wood is removed and wound is healed. The purpose of this procedure was to open the third eye, mentioned in both Eastern and Western esoteric literature to allow clairvoyance.
This is a book I recommend to all truth seekers; one has a lot to learn from it, even if one disagrees with some parts of "The third eye".

This was the first book I read on Tibetian culturereligion and science. Since that day I have re-read this book so manytimes. Contrary to many sceptists, how could someone write so many books on the science of yoga in such a sort time when today our scientists are proving him correct! The author probababy brought out the Eastern concepts of Yoga - telepathy, astral travelling, hynotism, meditation, reincarnation long before it became fashion.

I thought the story of Lobsand becoming a Tibetan lama and healer was a very entertaining read. i've actually read the book a few times now and thoroughly enjoyed it every time. It is a classic. Whether or not it is true is irrelevant if the spiritual concepts come through. The test is how it makes you FEEL. Don't miss out.

When I was at my local used bookstore looking for something to read, this book caught my eye. Buying it, I sat down and read it over and over. It is an insight to Tibetan Life, of it's religion and beliefs, and it's people. It's Details into Lobsang Rampa's life takes you from your world and drops you onto Rampa's shoulder as he goes from being a boy in a household, through his training at the temples, and allthe trials and tribulations in between. If you ever wanted to look into Tibetan Buddhism, read this one first.

Lama Cyril Hoskins does not sound as good as Lobsang Rampa, isn't it? That's what was his real name. Having travelled to and studied on Tibet for two decades now, I had always refused to read this book since I knew it distorted the image of Tibet unlike any other book "about" Tibet. Now I finally found myself reading "The Third Eye", and since I can easily distinguish what is fiction and what is the rendering of given knowledge in the West at the time of its being written, I found it quite entertaining and amusing. I was even somehow surprised about the author's insight into (part of) the Tibetan culture: this author, a British who had never been even near to Tibet, had an idea of Tibet - similar to German Karl May's description of the north American Indian world - which sometimes is closer to the reality than what many Westerners nowadays believe was or is Tibet! He is, however, partially responsible for wrong images of Tibet. So my advice is: read it as fiction, but don't take it too serious, especially in those parts which tend to fascinate us Westerners! Then you may enjoy it.

First published in the early sixties, the Third Eye soon became legendary. Almost fifty years later, the legend has grown into credible acceptance as the wonders of meditation, telepathy, levitation, teletransportation, etc. have become subjects of serious study. The life of people in Tibet before the Chinese invasion, particularly in the lamaseries, where the author was raised, is engagingly portrayed as the adventures of the mind and journeys into extraordinary lands are revealed.

People have speculated that this book is a hoax, nevertheless sources 'in the know' have verified its authenticity, regardless of the identity of the author. This is a truly fascinating book about a 'priveleged' Buddhist growing up in Lhasa, Tibet.

A great tale, no doubt based on Rampas' studies of the ancient Tibetan world. I have little doubt that what is written is true but his subsequent writings exposed the myth. However, this the first book is credible and enjoyable. Do they really have a third eye?

This book gives you a history channel like walk through on the Tibetan way of life and their goal to achieve oneness. Page after page, is nothing but some guy rambling on about how hard life was for him as an intiate, and the experiences he's had. There is nothing to learn from this book. However if you are a person (like me) that loves to read, then this book is worth the five hours.

Reading the reviews on the store.com about "The Third Eye" I wonder if many of them were written by the same person. I am suspicious.

"The Third Eye" is mildly entertaining, but if it is not true, then it does affect my perception of it. I am sorry. I could have written as good a book, since I have read lots about Tibet, but not been there in this body.

The theology chapter "Tibetan Beliefs" is patently ludicrous. I know enough about Buddhism, and Tibetan Buddhism, to spot this as a quaint concoction by a Christian (or formerly Christian) Westerner. I was also offended by the forceful assertion that there *IS* a GOD (italics his), and that it doesn't matter what we call Him. God is a fact. Smells pretty fishy to me.

Then he "explains" what Om Mani Padme Hum means. "Hail to Man's Overself!" WHAAAATT??? Is that Nietzsche or who?

I was not impressed by the advice in the book on how to relax. Imagine falling off a cliff and laying there all sprawled and lack-jawed from your SPLAT onto the Earth. Come on!

This is pure fiction and not even good fiction.