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After a social media video of the Dalai Lama requesting a boy to “suck my tongue” went viral, the Tibetan spiritual leader issued an apology.
A video clip of a recent meeting in which a small kid requested the Dalai Lama’s hug has been making the rounds on social media. His Holiness wishes to express his regret for any harm his words may have caused to the little child, his family, and his numerous friends around the globe, according to a statement from the office of the spiritual leader.
The incident happened on February 28 during a conversation at a gathering in the Dharamshala neighborhood of McLeod Ganj. Around 100 school pupils attended the ceremony, which was held at a temple, according to The Guardian.
On the microphone, a student in attendance requested a hug from the Dalai Lama. The child was invited to approach the platform where the 87-year-old was sitting.
The monk then leaned in to give his respects and laid a kiss on the boy’s lips. He then asked the boy to suck it with his tongue while pressing his forehead against the boy. According to the site, the youngster walked away as the Dalai Lama laughed and gave him another hug.
One of the participants recorded the video, which has received over 1 million views. The video received harsh criticism on Twitter, with some using the words “absolutely sick” and “disgusting” to describe it.
“Stunned to witness the #DalaiLama’s performance. He’s had to apologize before for making sexist remarks. But telling a little youngster to “Now suck my tongue” is revolting, one person tweeted. What just happened? How the youngster must be feeling? Disgusting,” added a second.
In Tibet, sticking out your tongue is a sign of greeting, contrary to what a 2014 BBC piece claimed. According to the outlet, the Tibetan people have practiced it since the ninth century, when Lang Drama, a ruler noted for his black tongue, governed the area.
When asked to affirm that they are not like the late monarch (or his reincarnation), the people began to exhibit their tongues.
Tenzin Gyatso, the current Dalai Lama, has never wed. He calls himself a “simple Buddhist monk” and was identified as the previous Dalai Lama’s reincarnation when he was just two years old.
The Dalai Lama apologized in 2019 for stating that a woman would need to be “attractive” if she were to be his successor. The remarks were made in an interview with the BBC and received criticism from all over the world.
He also caused a stir by declaring on the subject of immigrants that “Europe belongs to the Europeans” in the same year. The spiritual leader stated that refugees should go back to their home countries during a seminar in Malmo, Sweden.
In 2018, he said that Jawaharlal Nehru rejected Mahatma Gandhi’s request to appoint Muhammad Ali Jinnah as prime minister because Nehru was “self-centered.” He continued by saying that had Mahatma Gandhi’s predictions come true, India and Pakistan would still be united. Later, the Tibetan spiritual leader expressed regret for his comment.
The Dalai Lama continues to be the well-renowned spokesperson for the campaign for Tibetan independence. Beijing views him as a separatist since he fled to India in 1959 following a failed revolt against Chinese control in Tibet.
The Dalai Lama appointed an eight-year-old Mongolian boy born in the United States as the 10th Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoche, the third highest position in Tibetan Buddhism, last month.