AFP

September 1, 2008

MUMBAI (AFP) - The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, was 
discharged from a Mumbai hospital on Monday, four days after being 
admitted with stomach pain, but said he still needs plenty of rest.

The 73-year-old Nobel peace laureate smiled and waved as he emerged 
from Mumbai's private Lilavati Hospital, an AFP photographer said. He 
shook hands with hospital staff before leaving in a bullet-proof car.

The Dalai Lama's spokesman, Tenzin Takhla, has said he has cancelled 
all engagements for three weeks and would now spend several days 
resting in Mumbai.

A hospital spokesman declined to comment on his state of health, but 
Samdhong Rinpoche, prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, 
said the Dalai Lama was "very fine."

"There is nothing to be worried about. The doctors have advised that 
he take some more rest," Rinpoche told AFP from the northern Indian 
hill town of Dharamshala, where the government-in-exile is based.

The Dalai Lama underwent a series of tests in Mumbai after admission 
to hospital on Thursday following complaints of "abdominal discomfort."

In a message issued by his office, the revered Buddhist leader said 
he was suffering from "fatigue" and that there was "no cause for 
concern."

"The doctors attributed this to fatigue... They have advised me to 
have a good rest," the Dalai Lama was quoted as saying.

A Tibetan official at the Dalai Lama's home said last week he had 
suffered a bout of diarrhoea after which "he felt very weak."

In recent weeks, the Dalai Lama has pursued a hectic itinerary as he 
campaigned for improved human rights in Tibet while China hosted the 
Olympic Games.

During the Games, he travelled to France for a 12-day visit during 
which he accused China of ongoing repression of the Tibetan people.

He met French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and first lady Carla 
Bruni-Sarkozy -- but not President Nicolas Sarkozy.

On Saturday, he joined Tibetans in a 12-hour fast to draw attention 
to the human rights situation in their homeland and pray for world 
peace.

"The Dalai Lama had a lot of international teaching commitments this 
month," Rinpoche said.

"We have said his appointments have been cancelled for three weeks... 
so by the middle of September it should be clear when he will resume 
his other commitments."

The Buddhist monk fled into exile in India in 1959 following a failed 
uprising in Tibet against Chinese rule.

The Dalai Lama champions a "middle path" policy which espouses 
"meaningful autonomy" for Tibet, rather than full independence as 
many younger, more radical activists are demanding.

Still, China has vilified him as the "mastermind" of what it called a 
drive to sabotage the Olympics and destabilise the country.

Violent protests against Beijing's rule broke out across Tibet in 
March, sparking a heavy Chinese crackdown that drew global condemnation.