Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama led a minute of silent prayer in Washington, D.C., Monday morning after the tragedy in Orlando.

Dressed in his customary saffron robes, he clasped his palms together, eyes closed, in front of several hundred people Monday at the U.S. Institute of Peace, near the national monuments.

"Violence is a sign of weakness. Forgiveness is a sign of strength," the Dalai Lama said, according to USIP's Twitter account.

He was at the USIP to speak about the role of youth leaders in resolving world conflict.

The prayer came after the last of the bodies were removed from the popular gay nightclub Pulse. The attack left 49 people dead.