Two elderly nuns have been robbed at knifepoint inside a Buddhist temple in Sydney's west in an attack police described as "cowardly, disgraceful and completely disrespectful".

The women, aged 88 and 81, were in the sleeping quarters of the Phuoc Hue temple on Victoria Street in Wetherill Park about 8.40pm on Monday when they were confronted by two balaclava-clad men, one of whom was armed with a knife.

The elderly women were robbed at knifepoint inside the Phuoc Hue temple. Credit:Google Maps

One of the offenders forced the 81-year-old woman onto the ground and held her there with his foot, while the second offender stole charity money from the temple and an iPad.

The two offenders then fled before officers from the Fairfield Local Area Command arrived.