"So triggering": Video of Dalai Lama kissing minor boy sparks outrage online 

A controversial video has been circulating on social media, where the Dalai Lama can be seen kissing a minor boy on his lips and then asking the boy to “suck his tongue.” It all happened in Dharamshala, India, where the globally acclaimed Tibetan spiritual leader lives.

In the video, a young boy approached the microphone with a request to hug the 87-year-old spiritual leader. The Dalai Lama then responded with a gentle nod and invited the boy up on stage. After a warm hug and a peck on the cheek, the boy looked content, but the Tibetan Buddhist leader had a surprise for him. He clasped the boy’s arm and gestured towards his lips, saying,

“Then I think fine here also.”

After the boy poked out his tongue, the audience clapped and cheered, which sparked outrage amongst the netizens. Since the footage has spread on social media, many have been commenting that such gestures are inappropriate, while others have mentioned how the young boy seems too uncomfortable.

One social media user took to Twitter and labeled the act “triggering.”

The Dalai Lama, also known as Tenzin Gyatso, is the spiritual leader of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. He is believed to be an incarnation of Avalokiteśvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

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Controversy arises on social media as the Dalai Lama invites a boy to "suck his tongue" in viral video

Tenzin Gyatso, a spiritual leader revered by many, has recently stirred up controversy on social media after a video of him inviting a young boy to “suck his tongue” during a public appearance went viral. Many are infuriated to see someone of his stature behave in such a way and have taken to social media to voice their concerns.

The incident sparked widespread outrage among internet users, who were appalled and disgusted by the perpetrator’s actions, describing them as “creepy,” “repulsive,” and “disturbing.” Some have also commented that the audience is laughing and cheering for the leader instead of protesting.

Here is how social media users have reacted to the viral video:

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“His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way”: The Dalai Lama apologizes for the viral video

After a major backlash, the Dalai Lama’s official Twitter account posted an apology, stating how the spiritual leader often “tease” the people in “innocent and playful ways.” Claiming how he regretted the incident, the message read:

This is not the first time that the spiritual leader has found himself in a controversy. In 2019, he was under fire for claiming that if his successor were a woman, she would have to be “attractive.” He said:

“If a female Dalai Lama comes, she should be more attractive.”

The comments were made during an interview with a British broadcaster. At the time, too, social media was infuriated by the comments made by the Tibetan Buddhist leader.

Not only this, he even passed a few comments on Europe and Africans migrating to the continent and talked about the increasing number of African refugees entering Europe. He suggested that Europe should be preserved for Europeans.

Expressing disbelief that the entire continent would eventually become either a Muslim or an African country, he argued in favor of maintaining Europe’s identity by keeping it for Europeans. This, too, sparked a lot of outrage on social media against the religious leader.

Regarding the current controversy, social media users are slamming the spiritual leader even after the apology, as many claimed that the video was not “innocent” in any way.