Shugden Buddhists protest over Dalai Lama 'persecution'

One of the world's ambassadors of peace and compassion has been met with both protesters and supporters on his Australian tour.

Protesters wait for the the Dalai Lama, near his hotel at Leura, in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, June 8, 2015. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) Source: AAP

The Dalai Lama faced angry protesters when he arrived at a conference in Sydney on Wednesday, sparked by a dispute over a Buddhist deity revered by the Buddhist Shugden sect - but not by the spitirual leader.

Nicholas Pitts from the International Shugden Community said the split had led to persecution, which the Dalai Lama has supported.

“He pretends that he's a champion of religious freedom and yet he's absolutely using every method he can get to stop these people from practising their faith to force them to abandon the faith of their choosing,” he said.

The Dalai Lama has denied persecution exists.

Earlier on his three day visit, the Shugden protestors were joined by pro Chinese groups amid accusations the Chinese Government is sponsoring the protestors.

President of the Tibetan Community of Australia Phurbu Khonnyi Tsang said the government had been “supporting and always paying for the monies for this group to do whatever”.

A spokesperson for the Dalai Lama says the protests - which also took place in Katoomba - haven't interrupted his tour.