The Dalai Lama is in Minnesota, getting an annual exam at the Mayo Clinic.
Advertisement
Mayo spokeswoman Ginger Plumbo confirmed on Sunday that the Tibetan Buddhist leader was at the Rochester clinic for a medical evaluation.
The Dalai Lama’s office announced that doctors suggested the leader take several weeks of rest.
The Dalai Lama has said any potential female successor to his role “must be very attractive”, in an interview with the BBC, provoking accusations of sexism.
The AP reports planned visits to the University of Colorado in Boulder, Salt Lake City and Philadelphia are among those that have been cancelled.
It’s unclear if the Dalai Lama was joking, but he later made a quip about his own handsomeness. Despite his age, the Dalai Lama maintains a rigorous travel schedule. Lama said we would create more Bin Ladens by doing so. I said yes a woman can become next Dalai Lama.
The move indicates futureless end of the Dalai Lama group, it quoted officials as saying. The Chinese authorities, particularly present President Xi Jinping, who can also be in America presently, sees the 14th Dalai Lama as a unsafe revolutionary. “And we all know he needed a rest”.
According to a university news release, the office of the Tibet is now working to reschedule the visit of the spiritual leader.
Advertisement
The group, Free Tibet, has submitted a 4,000 signature petition to 10 Downing Street this week, calling on British Prime Minister David Cameron to stand up to pressure from China’s government to shun the Nobel Peace prize victor.
