The Abuse Survivors Network has criticized the actions of the Dalai Lama who saw him kiss a young Indian boy on the lips before telling him to “suck” his tongue.
The Chaplains’ Abuse Survivors Network, a US-based organization that supports survivors of spiritual and religious abuse, expressed its disgust Monday after the disturbing footage was posted.
We are as horrified as any sightings of the Dalai Lama’s actions. Our primary concern is the innocent boy who has been the subject of this disgusting request by a revered spiritual figure.
“Additionally, it is disturbing to read the belittling statement issued on behalf of the Buddhist Enlightenment,” abuse support network SNAP said in a statement.
An 87-year-old man asking a young boy to perform a blatant sexual act in a public place is deeply disturbing. We feel it is important that everyone who sees, suspects, or experiences child sex offenses, regardless of the level of the offense, contacts law enforcement to report it.
Footage of the uncomfortable incident showed the moment the Tibetan spiritual leader invited the boy on stage during a charity event at his temple in Dharamshala, India, in February.
The Dalai Lama has apologized after a disturbing video surfaced on social media in which he kissed a young Indian boy on the lips before telling him to “suck” his tongue.
Some supporters of the Dalai Lama have rallied to his defense, claiming that their leader was simply “joking”.
In the video, the boy asks the Dalai Lama “Can I hug you?” To which Tenzin Jyutsu replied, “Okay – come on!”
The spiritual leader first asks the boy to kiss him on the cheek before pointing to his lips. He grabs the boy’s face as they kiss briefly, then the couple press their foreheads together.
As soon as the boy goes to turn away, the Dalai Lama commands him: “And suck my tongue” — prompting him to slowly move forward towards the tongue of this 87-year-old.
Attendees at the event, put on by India’s M3M Foundation, can be heard laughing as the boy sits awkwardly in front of the elderly Tibetan Buddhist leader and nervously follows his orders.
Others went so far as to call the Dalai Lama a “cunning false prophet” while one user demanded that he be “arrested for pedophilia.”
Before letting the child go, the Dalai Lama imparts some wisdom, telling him to “look to those good human beings who create peace and happiness” and not to “follow those human beings who always kill others.”
Some supporters of the Dalai Lama rallied to his defense, claiming that their leader was simply “joking”.
But the clip sparked outrage on social media, with commentators calling the Dalai Lama’s actions “scandalous”, “disgusting” and “utterly sick”.
Others went so far as to describe him as a “cunning false prophet.”
Absolutely shocked to see this show by #DalaiLama. Also in the past, he had to apologize for his sexual comments. But saying ‘suck my tongue now’ to a little kid is disgusting,” user Sangeeta wrote.
Another poster, Rakhi Tripathi, said: ‘What did you just see? What must this kid feel like? Sick.’
In this file photo taken on December 29, 2022, Tibet’s spiritual leader the Dalai Lama waves during the first day of a teaching session in the land of Kalachakra in Bodhgaya
The spiritual guide’s office posted an official statement on social media today apologizing for its actions.
‘His Holiness wishes to apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends around the world, for the hurt his words may have caused,’ the statement read.
She added, “His Holiness often teases the people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public places and in front of cameras.”
“He regrets the accident.”
The Dalai Lama remains the globally recognized face of the movement for Tibetan autonomy.
But the global spotlight he enjoyed after winning the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize has waned and the influx of invitations to relationships with world leaders and Hollywood stars has slowed, in part because the aging leader has cut back on his difficult travel schedule, but also because of China’s growing economic and political influence.
Beijing accuses him of wanting to divide China, calling him “a wolf in a monk’s robe.”
The Dalai Lama was forced to apologize in 2019 for saying that any woman who succeeded him “must be more attractive.”
Just weeks ago, a spiritual leader stirred up further controversy when he named an eight-year-old boy with dual American and Mongolian citizenship the reincarnation of the third most important spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism.
In 2019, the Dalai Lama apologized for saying that if his successor was going to be a woman, she would have to be “more attractive”.
He was “very sorry” and “really didn’t mean any offense” after his comment sparked a global backlash.
Monk’s office said his off-the-cuff remarks were “humorously lost in translation,” and insisted he was a staunch supporter of women’s rights.
The remarks, which drew criticism around the world, were made in an interview with the BBC.
Then just weeks ago, the spiritual leader stirred up more controversy when he named an eight-year-old boy of dual American and Mongolian citizenship as the reincarnation of the third most important spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism.
The official surname for the baby, who is said to have a twin, is Khalkha Jetsun Damba Rinpoche X – the third most important spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism and the leader of the faith in Mongolia, according to times.
Rumors about the boy’s identity have circulated in the spiritual community for years, but his existence has only now been confirmed by his public appearances in India, where the Dalai Lama lives in exile.
The unveiling sparked outrage in China, which previously said it would only recognize Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leaders hand-picked by government-approved appointees.
