The Dalai Lama apologizes for asking a young boy to suck his tongue

The Dalai Lama, pictured here at a prayer ceremony in McLeod Ganj last week, has come under fire for visibly kissing a young boy on the lips in a video that's been viewed millions of times. (AFP via Getty Images)

The Dalai Lama has apologized for kissing a young boy on the lips and asking him to "suck my tongue" after a video of the incident sparked outrage on social media.

The 87-year-old Buddhist priest "regrets the incident" and 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," according to a statement published by his office on Monday.