Dalai Lama says UK riots were shocking as Britons are 'sensible, mature'

London, May 15 (ANI): Tibetan Spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has said that he was shocked by last year's riots in the United Kingdom as he considered Britons to be 'mature, sensible and law-abiding'.

'I always had the view Englishmen were mature people, sensible people, and law-abiding people,' the Dalai Lama said.

'I immediately sent a letter to the Prime Minister expressing my sadness and condolences. And I expressed that when the time comes they should make a more serious investigation into what caused this,' the Daily Mail quoted him, as saying.

He also warned against feeling 'helpless' and 'hopeless' in the face of the country's economic problems.

The Dalai Lama said hard work was the only way to counter economic difficulties.

The exiled Tibetan leader spoke before receiving the Templeton Prize for his contributions towards peace and science and ability to cross religious boundaries.

In his first visit to St Paul's Cathedral, he pointed out that the recession was made by man - not God - and urged Britons to make 'every effort' to tackle the difficulties.he Dalai Lama expressed disbelief that such large-scale criminality could happen in this country. The scenes of rampaging youths were something he was more used to seeing in third world countries.

The 1.1 million pounds Templeton Prize is the biggest annual award to an individual.

The Dalai Lama is donating 900,000 pounds of the money towards Save the Children's work with malnourished children in India. (ANI)