My thoughts on Dalai Lama kissing boy, and the solution

HHDL = His holiness, the Dalai Lama

I've collected good references here, including the actual video, and snippets from forums discussions containing valid critcism and explanations of cultural context, and most importantly, what the rules of the actual vinaya that buddhist monks are supposed to follow:

1min. video: Dalai Lama kissing boy and asking him to suck his tongue

At the time of this writing, HHDL is about 88 years old.

He has an exemplary record devoting his life to compassionate service to all living beings,  as a Tibetan Buddhist monk.

In this age of 'me too',  everyone with a cell phone with high resolution cameras, and the ability to quickly publicize any indiscretion or sexual crime, we've seen sexual predators in positions of power being exposed and convicted.

Leaders of large corporations,  governments, professional sports, doctors, leaders in all religions.

Tibetan Buddhism has an especially poor track record with corrupt sexual predators.

https://thewalrus.ca/survivors-of-an-international-buddhist-cult-share-their-stories/

If HHDL had any legitimate sexual offenses over his 88 years, I don't believe it could remain covered up this long, in today's climate. 

Regarding the recent incident where HHDL kissed a young boy publicly, on camera, and asked him to suck his tongue.

I looked carefully at the explanations of cultural context, including the "eat my tongue" (tibetan che la sa), and it seems HHDL was not doing anything out of the ordinary from what a Tibetan grandfather would do to his grandson or granddaughter.

Europeans, strangers,  kiss each other on the cheek upon greeting.

Italian fathers and grandfathers kiss their young sons and grandsons in the mouth.

Are they also sexual predators, or homosexuals?

Cultural context matters.

Based on all evidence, HHDL is not guilty of any crime.

The real problem

The real problem is HHDL, Tibetan Buddhism and much of Mahayana Buddhism don't strictly follow the Buddha's  250 (approx.) vinaya rules, which would prevent physical contact such as hugging and kissing between members of the opposite sex in the first place.

The Buddha knew what he was doing.

It's not good enough that monastics have pure motive free of lust, they also have to behave publicly in a way that frees them from suspicion of lustful intent.

That's what the rules are there for.

Monks are not supposed to even hug their moms in public, because it's a bad look. People who see that don't know it's their mom.

Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayana, Mahayana circumvent the Buddha's rules by conveniently having an overriding set of Bodhisattva vows 

Basically, whenever they feel like it, they can use "skillful means" to justify hugging and kissing "out of compassion", becuase the 'bodhisattva vows' are a superior path (supposedly), and can override the 250 vinaya rules whenever they're inconvenient (to one's greed, anger, and lust). 

Conclusion

So the fix is simple.

Buddhist monks and nuns, whether Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana,  should follow the 250+ rules of the vinaya, and the Bodhisattva vows should be subservient to the vinaya, not a loophole to do whatever you want whenever you want.

Also important:

I believe all parents should be careful and never assume leaving their kids alone with any adult, no matter how trustworthy they are, is safe.