The Dalai Lama kisses a child and asks him: “Suck my tongue.” Then apologies

A video showing the Dalai Lama in India, the country where he lives in exile, kissing a young boy on the lips and then asking him to “suck his tongue” during a public ceremony has caused uproar and outrage.

The video went viral, sparking controversy among the wasps, and the Tibetan spiritual leader’s office publicly apologized to the boy and his family, “as well as many of his friends around the world, for the pain his words may have caused.”

The message, which was posted on Twitter, continued: “His Holiness often makes fun of people he meets in an innocent and hilarious manner, even in public and in front of cameras. He regrets this incident.”

The video in question was taken during an event on February 28 when the 87-year-old Dalai Lama spoke to a group of students at the Tsuglagkhang Temple in Dharamshala, northern India.

In the footage we see a young boy approaching a microphone and asking the Buddhist spiritual leader: “Can I hug you?”. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate invites the child to the stage, saying: “Here first” and points to his cheek, which the child kisses. “And then I think here too,” he continues, pointing to his lips. Then the Dalai Lama brings the child’s chin towards him and kisses him on the lips.

Laughter and applause are heard in the video. The two touch their heads before the Dalai Lama sticks out his tongue and says, “And suck my tongue.” When the two embrace, later in the video, the Dalai Lama tickles the baby under the armpit.