After kissing a kid and encouraging him to’s*ck’ his tongue, the Dalai Lama apologized.
The 14th Dalai Lama, also known as Gyalwa Rinpoche among Tibetans, is the ruler of Tibet.
In addition, the 87-year-old is the top spiritual authority.
He’s now being labeled ‘inappropriate’ and ‘disturbing’ after a video emerged of him asking a child if he wants to’s*ck’ his tongue.
In the video below, you can learn more about the event involving the Dalai Lama…
The event allegedly occurred on February 28 at the Dalai Lama’s temple in Dharamshala.
The spiritual leader was meeting with about 120 pupils who had finished a skills training program organized by the M3M Foundation at the time.
In March, the organization shared images from the occasion on social media, one of which shows the Lama cuddling the youngster in a viral video.
In the video, the toddler begs the leader whether he can hug him.
The 87-year-old signals to his cheeks and says, “First here,” The child kisses and hugs him.
While holding the child’s hand, the Lama indicates to his lips and says, “I think here also,” before kissing the youngster on the lips.
After the duo joins their brows, the leader pulls out his tongue and says, “And s*ck my tongue.”
While other people chuckle at the remark, the child, like the leader, puts his tongue out before moving away.
A person sticking out their tongue might be a kind of greeting in Tibet.
Since the video went viral, many individuals have resorted to social media to attack the Dalai Lama.
“I find this highly disturbing, especially the crowd laughing, it’s bordering on absolutely insane,” one user adds.
“That Dalai Lama video is quite disturbing,” says another. “I’m stunned.”
According to a third, “asking a young boy to’s*ck my tongue’ is so inappropriate that accountability cannot be avoided even if [the] intention was not wrong.”
Others, however, have backed the spiritual leader, pointing out that it is a Tibetan welcome practice.
“It’s an ancient Tibetan welcome ritual.” “In Tibet, you have to show your tongue to greet someone,” one person claims.
Dalai Lama Twitter Post.
— Dalai Lama (@DalaiLama) April 10, 2023
The scandal prompted an apology from the Dalai Lama’s office, which stated that his behavior was “innocent and playful.”
The statement says: “His holiness wishes to apologise to the boy and his family as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused.
“His holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras. He regrets the incident.”
This is hardly the Dalai Lama’s first controversy.
He sparked anger in 2019 when he said the Lama should be more appealing if he returned as a woman.
Later, his office apologized.
