"What the Dalai Lama had to resolve was whether to stay in Tibet or leave. He wanted to stay, but staying would have meant the total destruction of Tibet, because he would have died and that would have ripped the heart out of his people"

In this quote, Martin Scorsese is discussing the hard decision dealt with by the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet. The Dalai Lama needed to pick between staying in Tibet, his homeland, or leaving in order to safeguard his people. He wished to remain and continue leading his individuals, but he knew that if he stayed, he would likely be killed and this would lead to the damage of Tibet. This decision taxed the Dalai Lama, as leaving would mean abandoning his individuals and their way of life. Eventually, he picked to leave in order to protect the heart and spirit of his people.