Preventing Abuse in Tibetan Buddhism: Can Gurus be Infallible? (Tenzin Peljor)

In this interview by Damcho of the German monk Venerable Tenzin Peljor, a spotlight is directed at with ways in which Buddhist teachings and practices are used to enable and justify abuse. The notion of an infallible guru comes in for particular scrutiny, and Tenzin Peljor offers a teaching on the three qualities that disciples need to enter into healthy relationships with Vajrayana teachers. He describes his own process of recovering from abusive situations in the Buddhist community he joined originally, only to identify it later as a cult.

Tenzin Peljor is one of the very few monks in the Vajrayana tradition speaking openly about abuse and supporting survivors. He created and manages the "Tibetan Buddhism – Struggling with Diffi-Cult Issues" blog and teaches in Berlin.