A group that advocates for survivors of spiritual or religious child sexual abuse criticized the Dalai Lama after a viral video showed the Tibetan spiritual leader kissing a 12-year-old Indian boy on the lips and asking him to suck his tongue.

The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, a Chicago-based organization, posted a statement on its website Monday condemning the actions of the 14th Dalai Lama, 87, whose real name is Tenzin Gyatso.

"We are as horrified as any viewer by the actions of the Dalai Lama," the group wrote. "Our primary concern is with the innocent boy who was the subject of this disgusting request by a revered spiritual figure.

"Additionally, it is just as disturbing to read the minimizing statement released on behalf of Buddhist enlightenment."

A statement Monday on the Dalai Lama's website read: "A video clip has been circulating that shows a recent meeting when a young boy asked His Holiness the Dalai Lama if he could give him a hug. His Holiness wishes to apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused. His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras. He regrets the incident."

The incident occurred at the spiritual leader's temple in Dharamshala, India, in February.

"We would like to know how many other such 'playful' acts have occurred between the Dalai Lama and unsuspecting visitors," the survivors network wrote.

The group wrote that in a sexual abuse case involving a Buddhist teacher in Europe in 2018, the Dalai Lama denounced the teacher's behavior as "irresponsible."

"We wonder why he did not apply this same standard to his own inappropriate request," the group wrote. "But the larger question is this, is this apology simply because the video was widely condemned, or is the Dalai Lama truly sincere?

"Either way, an 87-year-old man asking a young boy to perform a blatantly sexual act in a public setting is very disturbing. We feel it is important that every single person who sees, suspects, or suffers child sex crimes, regardless of the level of crime, contact law enforcement to report it. That is the best way to protect other children, expose wrongdoing, and start healing."

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