Dalai Lama’s historical past of controversial remarks and movies

The Dalai Lama has come beneath hearth after a video displaying him kissing a younger baby and asking him to ‘suck’ his tongue went viral, forcing him to problem an apology.

The clip of the Tibetan religious chief triggered criticism, together with from the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, a US-based organisation that helps the survivors of religious and spiritual abuse.

The group expressed their disgust on Monday following the emergence of the disturbing footage, which confirmed the younger Indian boy kissing the Dalai Lama on the lips as he got here ahead to pay his respects throughout a charity occasion at a temple.

The disturbing interplay occurred at a public gathering in February on the Buddhist Tsuglagkhang temple in Dharamsala, the place the exiled chief lives. He was taking questions from the viewers when the boy requested if he might hug him.

The incident has additionally introduced among the Dalai Lama’s previous controversies again in to the highlight. He has beforehand confronted backlash for his feedback on the potential of his successor being a girl, about refugees in Europe, about Pakistan and India, on Donald Trump, and for being paid $1million to attend an occasion hosted by an notorious NXIVM ‘intercourse cult’.

Here, MailOnline appears on the largest controversies to have hit the world’s most well-known monk.

FEMALE SUCCESSOR ‘MUST BE’ ATTRACTIVE 

In an interview with the BBC in 2015, the Nobel Peace Prize winner – whose given title is Tenzin Gyatso – recalled telling a French journalist ten years earlier that he hoped there could be a feminine Dalai Lama sooner or later.

This, he stated, was as a result of girls had a higher ‘organic’ capability ‘to point out affection’ and ‘compassion’.

But, he stated, there was a caveat. ‘I believe feminine[s] ought to take extra necessary position after which – I advised the reporter – if a feminine does come her face ought to be very, very enticing,’ he advised the BBC’s reporter.

Interviewer Clive Myrie pressed him on the matter. Asking whether or not a feminine Dalai Lama ‘should be’ enticing, the Buddhist responded: ‘Otherwise not a lot use.’

He reiterated his feedback 4 years later, in 2019, saying a feminine successor would should be ‘very, very enticing’ as she could be ‘not a lot use’ in any other case.

‘If feminine Dalai Lama comes, then she ought to be extra enticing,’ he stated, chuckling to himself.

The feedback, once more to the BBC, have been questioned by the broadcaster’s interviewer, who requested whether or not being the Dalai Lama ought to be extra about what was on the within.

The Dalai Lama answered by saying that Buddhist literature taught that each interior and outer magnificence mattered, whereas emphasising the significance of equality.

While some interpreted the feedback on the time because the Tibetan chief making a joke – saying a feminine successor could be extra enticing than him – it drew an indignant response on condition that he has beforehand described himself as a feminist.

His workplace later issued an announcement apologising for his remarks. 

‘His Holiness genuinely meant no offence. He is deeply sorry that individuals have been harm by what he stated and gives his honest apologies,’ it stated.

‘For all his lengthy life, His Holiness has opposed the objectification of girls, has supported girls and their rights and celebrated the rising worldwide consensus in assist of gender equality and respect for ladies,’ it added. 

SLAMMING DONALD TRUMP 

In the identical interview with the BBC in 2019, the Dalai Lama  drew the ire of followers of then-President of the United States, Donald Trump.

In a withering evaluation of the previous head of state, the Dalai Lama stated Trump’s time in workplace had been outlined by a ‘lack of ethical precept’ – a change of tone from remarks he made in 2016 saying he had ‘no worries’ over Trump’s presidency.

‘When he grew to become president he expressed America first. That is mistaken,’ he stated.

He pointed to Trump’s determination to drag the US out of the Paris local weather settlement, in addition to America’s remedy of migrants on the borders.

‘When I noticed photos of a few of these younger kids, I used to be unhappy,’ he stated of the problems on the US-Mexico border that plagued Trump’s time within the White House.

Trump and the religious chief didn’t meet throughout his time in workplace, a call seen as a doable try and appease China on account of Beijing’s dislike of the Tibetan religious chief. He was made head of state in 1950, aged 15, the identical 12 months that China occupied Tibet – and is seen in Beijing as a troublemaker on the border.

Gyatso escaped to India in 1959 throughout the Tibetan rebellion, and has been residing there in exile ever since, whereas remaining Tibet’s religious chief.

The Dalai Lama stated of Trump: ‘His feelings [are] additionally a bit bit’… and wagged his winger close to his temple. ‘One day he says one thing, one other day he says one thing.

‘America, they need to take the worldwide duty,’ he advised the BBC.

‘EUROPE IS FOR EUROPEANS’ 

In 2019, the Dalai Lama courted additional controversy over his feedback on refugees arriving in Europe, with tens of millions having fled from the Middle East lately.

‘European nations ought to take these refugees and provides them schooling and coaching, and the intention is – return to their very own land with sure abilities,’ he stated. 

When requested what ought to occur to those that wish to keep of their adopted nations, he replied: ‘A restricted quantity is OK. 

‘But the entire of Europe [will] ultimately grow to be Muslim nation – unattainable. Or African nation, additionally unattainable.’

When the interviewer requested about his personal refugee standing, the Dalai Lama repeated his earlier claims that ‘Europe is for Europeans’. He added: ‘They themselves, I believe [are] higher in their very own land. Better [to] preserve Europe for Europeans.’

He made comparable feedback a 12 months earlier at a convention in Sweden. ‘Receive them [migrants], assist them, educate them, however finally they need to develop their very own nation. I believe Europe belongs to the Europeans,’ he stated.

He stated that Europe was ‘morally accountable’ for serving to ‘a refugee actually going through hazard towards their life’ however implied they need to return dwelling.

People reacting on the time known as him a hypocrite given his personal state of affairs. 

He appeared to handle this on the time. He stated: ‘We Tibetans took shelter in India, however most Tibetans wish to return to Tibet when the state of affairs there has modified.

‘Each nation has its personal tradition, language, lifestyle, and it’s higher for individuals to dwell in their very own nation. That is my view.’ 

His feedback echoed these he made in 2016, during which he stated that ‘Europe, for instance Germany, can not grow to be an Arab nation.’

He additionally stated then that there have been ‘too many refugees’ in Europe – regardless of himself main hundreds of refugees into India in 1959.

When discussing refuges, he additionally waded into the talk round Brexit – Britain’s exit from the European Union. 

He advised the BBC in 2019 that he was ‘an admirer of the European Union’ – stating that world partnerships are key to avoiding battle.

PAID $1MILLION TO ATTEND NXIVM EVENT 

In one other controversy involving the Dalai Lama, DailyMail.com completely revealed in 2018 that the monk was paid $1million to journey to America and endorse an notorious and controversial ‘intercourse cult’ that brainwashed and branded girls.

The non secular chief was paid to talk at a 2009 occasion hosted by NXIVM – a self-help organisation described by former members as a ‘intercourse cult’ – that resulted in its chief and different members (together with actress Allison Mack) being jailed for crimes starting from intercourse trafficking to compelled labour, to visa and wire fraud.

The deal noticed the Dalai Lama communicate to three,000 followers of NXIVM and place a khata – a standard ceremonial Tibetan scarf – across the neck of the group’s founder, Keith Raniere – who was sentenced to 120 years in jail in 2020.

At the time, Raniere’s supporters described the go to by the Dalai Lama as a ‘victory’.

Former laptop programmer Raniere based NXIVM in 1998, as a ‘private {and professional} improvement program’ which he bought as Executive Success Programs, alongside his enterprise associate, ex-nurse Nancy Salazman. It is pronounced ‘nexium’.

DailyMail.com discovered its executives took extraordinary steps to additional its personal trigger worldwide, together with to persuade the Dalai Lama to talk at an occasion.

The plot concerned wooing the Tibetan Buddhist chief’s American aide; costly items and overseas journey; an alleged steamy affair with the heiress to a drinks fortune, and claims of damaged vows of celibacy.

DailyMail.com realized that the deal was arrange by the Dalai Lama’s self-styled ‘private emissary of peace’ to the U.S., Lama Tenzin Dhonden. He was changed in 2018 amid accusations of corruption.

The Dalai Lama Trust eliminated Dhonden as its government secretary, pending an investigation, following claims that the monk abused his place as a gatekeeper to the Nobel Peace Prize winner.

ANGERING INDIA AND PAKISTAN 

2018 additionally noticed the Dalai Lama apologise over feedback he made about India and Pakistan, during which he stated the 2 nations would have stayed united on the finish of British rule if not for the ‘self-centred angle’ of the nation’s first Prime Minister.

‘Jawaharlal Nehru’s self-centred angle was the rationale why Muhammad Ali Jinnah couldn’t be appointed the prime minister of India,’ he stated on the time.

The Dalai Lama stated that Mahatma Gandhi had wished Jinnah to grow to be PM, and that if he had been, the 1947 partition of India wouldn’t have occurred.

‘Now have a look at India. I believe Mahatma Gandhi was very a lot keen to provide the prime ministership to Jinnah. But Pandit Nehru refused,’ he stated on the time.

‘I believe it was a bit bit self-centred angle of Pandit Nehru that he ought to be the prime minister… Mahatma Gandhi’s considering, if it had materialised, then India, Pakistan would have been united,’ he stated.

His workplace later apologised for his feedback. 

‘TONGUE SUCK’ VIDEO 

Following the emergence of the ‘tongue suck’ video this week, a assertion posted on his official web site stated the 87-year-old chief regretted the incident.

It stated he wished to ‘apologize to the boy and his household, in addition to his many mates internationally, for the harm his phrases could have induced.’ 

The video confirmed that the Dalai Lama had invited the boy up towards the platform he was seated on. He gestured to his cheek, which the kid then kissed earlier than giving the religious chief a hug.

The Dalai Lama then requested the boy to kiss him on the lips and caught out his tongue. ‘And suck my tongue,’ the Dalai Lama might be heard saying because the boy stands out his personal tongue and leans in, prompting laughter from the viewers.

The footage triggered a backlash on-line with social media customers condemning his habits as inappropriate and disturbing.

SNAP, the US advocacy group for victims of clergy abuse, stated they have been ‘horrified’ by the Dalai Lama’s actions. ‘Our major concern is with the harmless boy who was the topic of this disgusting request by a revered religious determine,’ the group stated in an announcement.

Sticking out one’s tongue was typically used as a greeting in line with historical Tibetan tradition, however shouldn’t be generally seen anymore.

‘His Holiness typically teases individuals he meets in an harmless and playful means, even in public and earlier than cameras,’ the assertion from the Dalai Lama learn.