The Dalai Lama Apologised For The Deeply Sexist Joke. It Was Misunderstood. We Don’t Think So!

Last week, the Dalai Lama mentioned in an interview, much to our shock, surprise and disappointment that the next Dalai Lama should be more attractive. He said it was a joke, apparently, he had laughed it off even then. But now, the Dalai Lama is has apologised. His office released a statement apologised for his words, “He is deeply sorry that people have been hurt by what he said and offers his sincere apologies,” it said.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqRvbFlhuL5/

Now here’s a leader that has people’s ears. People respect his opinion and what he says actually carries weight. He might have said this offhandedly, or in jest but it’s just really disappointing that he should say something like that. Are we being too serious? Perhaps. But then when you are a man with the power to influence, you have a responsibility. And if you’re going to say something, it’s powerful. And we would believe it was a joke if this was the first time. But it isn’t.

In an interview with BBC in 2015, he said that this but it was only recently that he stood by it. He said, “in Buddhist literature, both inner and outer beauty were important.” Oh come on. Just, why?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtdMpMhFnKR/

The statement then attempted to clarify a few things and said, that the Dalai Lama “has a keen sense of the contradictions between the materialistic, globalized world he encounters on his travels and the complex, more esoteric ideas about reincarnation that are at the heart of Tibetan Buddhist tradition.However, it sometimes happens that off the cuff remarks, which might be amusing in one cultural context, lose their humour in translation when brought into another. He regrets any offence that may have been given.”

So they are saying it’s only a case of words being lost in translation? Yes, that could happen once. But then it happened again, he kind of confirmed it and it seems more than words that got misconstrued. Look, all we are saying is, it shouldn’t have been said at all. Not even the first time and certainly not the second time. Of course, the internet had a field day and we love some of the reactions.

https://twitter.com/LordShellington/status/1144592351798550528

Breaking: The #DalaiLama reveals his likely successor. pic.twitter.com/pXMTUUDRch

— Seb Brandenberg (@SebBrandenberg) June 28, 2019

https://twitter.com/tinyjoony/status/1144640006939717633