14th Dalai Lama

=== Controversy over young boy and "suck my tongue" ===
[[File:VOA Tibetan - Footage of Dalai Lama's controversial encounter with an Indian schoolboy in 2023.webm|thumb|Footage of Dalai Lama's controversial encounter with an Indian schoolboy in 2023]]
In a February 2023 video, the Dalai Lama was recorded kissing a young boy on the lips and asking the child to suck his tongue.<ref name="NPRsucking">{{cite web |last1=Olson |first1=Emily |title=The Dalai Lama apologizes for asking a young boy to suck his tongue |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/04/10/1168962589/dalai-lama-apologizes-tongue-kiss |website=NPR |access-date=17 September 2023}}</ref><ref name="Ellis-Petersen-2023">{{Cite news |last=Ellis-Petersen |first=Hannah |date=10 April 2023 |title=Dalai Lama apologises after kissing boy and asking him to 'suck my tongue' |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/10/dalai-lama-apologises-kissing-boy-suck-his-tongue-video |access-date=13 April 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The meeting took place at his temple in [[Dharamshala]], India. Nearly 100 students were in attendance, as well as the boy's mother, a trustee of the event's organiser.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 March 2023 |title=M3M Foundation gets blessing from HH Dalai Lama |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/business/business/m3m-foundation-gets-blessing-from-hh-dalai-lama20230301123051/ |website=ANI News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Daza |first=Baltasar |date=17 April 2023 |title=Esto fue lo que dijo el niño que fue "besado" por el Dalai Lama |url=https://www.latercera.com/tendencias/noticia/esto-fue-lo-que-dijo-el-nino-que-fue-besado-por-el-dalai-lama/KOAW4TU7TBAB5C6ZGBLMCZOYTY/ |website=La Tercera |quote=Payal Kanodia, mother of the child and worker of the M3M foundation, which built the compound}}</ref> Her son had asked for and received a hug from the Dalai Lama. He then pointed to his own cheek and lips, requesting and receiving two kisses at those locations from the boy, pulling the child's chin closer during the second one.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 April 2023 |title=Dalai Lama Apologizes Over an Exchange with a Child |url=https://tricycle.org/article/dalai-lama-apologizes/ |website=Tricycle}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 April 2023 |title=Dalai Lama apologizes after video asking child to 'suck' his tongue sparks outcry |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/dalai-lama-apologizes-after-video-asking-child-to-suck-his-tongue-sparks-outcry/ |website=CBS News}}</ref> He then gestured at and said "suck my tongue," stretching it out and moved closer.<ref>{{Cite web |last=C |first=Rika |date=12 April 2023 |title=Dalai Lama Apologizes After Asking Boy To Suck His Tongue |url=https://hot917fm.com/say-what-nah/dalai-lama-apologizes-after-asking-boy-to-suck-his-tongue/ |website=Hot 91.7 FM}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 April 2023 |title=Dalai Lama apologizes for kissing young boy after criticism circulates |url=https://www.newschannel5.com/news/national/dalai-lama-apologizes-for-kissing-young-boy-after-criticism-circulates |website=News Channel 5 Nashville (WTVF)}}</ref> The boy had been pulling away, and the two ended up pressing their heads together.<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 April 2023 |title=Abuse survivors rip Dalai Lama for tongue incident |url=https://torontosun.com/news/world/abuse-survivors-rip-dalai-lama-for-tongue-incident |website=Toronto-Sun}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 April 2023 |title=Dalai Lama under fire after asking young boy to 'suck his tongue' in bizarre viral video: 'Menace to children' |url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/dalai-lama-under-fire-asking-young-boy-suck-his-tongue-viral-video-menace-children |website=Fox News}}</ref> The video resurfaced in April 2023, and the Dalai Lama's conduct was condemned by many who called it "inappropriate," "scandalous" and "disgusting".<ref name="Ellis-Petersen-2023" /> His office issued a statement saying that the Dalai Lama often teases "in an innocent and playful way," adding that he wants to apologise to those involved "for the hurt his words may have caused" and "regrets the incident".<ref name="BBC News-2023">{{cite web |date=10 April 2023 |title=Dalai Lama regrets asking boy to 'suck my tongue' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65229327 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410080108/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65229327 |archive-date=10 April 2023 |access-date=10 April 2023 |website=BBC News}}</ref>

Victim groups and media commentators have raised concerns of "child abuse".<ref name="Independent-2023">{{Cite web |date=13 April 2023 |title=Dalai Lama: The significance of 'tongue greetings' in Tibetan culture |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/india/dalai-lama-tongue-kiss-video-tibet-b2318887.html |access-date=13 April 2023 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> The HAQ Centre for Child Rights in [[New Delhi]] said the video was "certainly not about any cultural expression and even if it is, such cultural expressions are not acceptable."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alund |first=Natalie Neysa |title='Suck my tongue': Dalai Lama lambasted after video shows him kiss young boy on lips |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2023/04/10/dalai-lama-boy-kiss-video/11634769002/ |access-date=13 April 2023 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> Indian journalist Nilanjana Bhowmick said that sticking out one's tongue is different from "asking a minor to suck it." Child rights activist [[Shola Mos-Shogbamimu]] said that child molestation should not be normalised under the guise of playful behaviour.<ref name="Independent-2023" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/10/india/dalai-lama-apology-kissing-boy-video-intl-hnk/index.html|title=Dalai Lama apologizes after video asking child to 'suck' his tongue sparks outcry|work=CNN|date=11 April 2023 }}</ref>

Tibetan activists argued that the interaction was an overblown joke, misinterpreted and unfairly attacked.<ref name="Pundir-2023b" /><ref name="CNN" /> They mentioned that sticking out one's tongue is a form of traditional Tibetan greeting to show respect or agreement, stemming from a tradition of performing the gesture to demonstrate that one is not reincarnated from the malevolent king [[Langdarma|Lang Dharma]], who was said to have a black tongue.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dresser |first=Norine |date=8 November 1997 |title=On Sticking Out Your Tongue |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-nov-08-me-51420-story.html |access-date=21 April 2023 |website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> The practice is not known to involve "sucking," however.<ref name="Independent-2023" /> In an interview clip released by [[Voice of Tibet (Norway)|Voice of Tibet]], the boy said it had been a "good experience" meeting the Dalai Lama, from whom he received a lot of "positive energy".<ref name="Pundir-2023a">{{Cite web |last=Pundir |first=Pallavi |date=14 April 2023 |title=Tibetans Explain What 'Suck My Tongue' Means. It's Not What You Think. |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/jg5854/tibetans-explain-what-suck-my-tongue-means-dalai-lama-viral-video |website=Vice}}</ref> [[Penpa Tsering]], the political leader of the Central Tibetan Administration, called the gesture an "innocent grandfatherly affectionate demeanour" followed by a "jovial prank" with a tongue.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 April 2023 |title='Innocent grandfatherly prank': Tibetan president in exile on Dalai Lama video |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/dalai-lama-boy-video-dalai-lama-news-innocent-grandfatherly-prank-tibetian-president-in-exile-on-dalai-lama-video-101681440541022.html |access-date=14 April 2023 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref> He and other Tibetans accused "pro-Chinese sources" of being behind the video.<ref name="Pundir-2023b">{{Cite web |last=Pundir |first=Pallavi |date=14 April 2023 |title=Tibetans Explain What 'Suck My Tongue' Means. It's Not What You Think. |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/jg5854/tibetans-explain-what-suck-my-tongue-means-dalai-lama-viral-video |website=Vice News}}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{Cite web |title=Tibetan leader defends Dalai Lama after 'suck my tongue' request to boy |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/13/india/tibetan-leader-defends-dalai-lama-kissing-boy-video-intl-hnk/index.html |website=CNN|date=14 April 2023 }}</ref>{{efn|According to CNN, no evidence was given for the preceding claim that pro-Chinese elements were involved in the spread of the video.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tibetan leader defends Dalai Lama after 'suck my tongue' request to boy|url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/13/india/tibetan-leader-defends-dalai-lama-kissing-boy-video-intl-hnk/index.html|website=CNN|date=14 April 2023 }}</ref>}} [[Vice News]] reported that according to Tibetans, "eat my tongue," roughly translated, is a common expression for teasing children. Kaysang, a Tibetan feminist educator in India, said "suck my tongue" is also a game for elders to "deter kids from pestering them".<ref name="Pundir-2023b" /> An international group of Tibetan leaders and activists expressed anguish that attempts to understand Tibetan cultural context have been, in their view, insufficiently covered by the media.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 April 2023 |title=Global Tibetan leaders, activists stand in support of the Dalai Lama over viral video |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/global-tibetan-leaders-activists-stand-in-support-of-the-dalai-lama-over-viral-video20230415224432/ |agency=[[Asian News International]]}}</ref> Pema Rigzin, president of the Tibetan Cultural Society of Vancouver, added that it is "very normal" in Tibetan culture for grandparents to kiss or chew food for their infants.<ref name="CTV News-2023">{{Cite web |date=16 April 2023 |title=Tibetan Canadians say video of Dalai Lama kissing boy taken out of context |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/tibetan-canadians-say-video-of-dalai-lama-kissing-boy-taken-out-of-context-1.6356777 |access-date=17 April 2023 |website=CTV News}}</ref>