The Dalai Lama is “deeply sorry” about comments he made about women in a recent BBC interview, his office says in a statement.

Axar.az reports citing BBC.

“(In) responding to a question about whether his own reincarnation could be a woman, and suggesting that if she were she should be attractive, His Holiness genuinely meant no offence,” the statement says.

“He is deeply sorry that people have been hurt by what he said and offers his sincere apologies.”

The comments were made in an interview with the British broadcaster aired last week from the Tibetan spiritual leader’s exile in Dharamsala in northern India.

“If female Dalai Lama comes, then she should be more attractive,” he had said. “If female Dalai Lama, oh, oh… that people, I think prefer, not see her, that face.”

The comment caused a stir on social media around the world.