Buddha would have helped the Rohingya Muslims who are fleeing violence in Buddhist-majority Burma, the Dalai Lama has said.

The world’s most well-known Buddhist icon said the plight of the minority group made him “very sad”.

Around 300,000 Rohingya have fled into Bangladesh following a security clampdown by the Burmese armed forces, prompted by Rohingya militant attacks on military outposts in late August.

The Burmese military response has allegedly been overwhelming and indiscriminate, prompting the UN to brand it "ethnic cleansing".

Rohingya crisis: Muslim village burnt to the ground

There have been reports of children being beheaded, people burned alive and villages razed.

Speaking to reporters, the Dalai Lama said the suffering of Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in Myanmar would have inspired Buddha to help.

The Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader said those who are harassing Muslims "should remember Buddha”.

“I think such circumstances Buddha would definitely help to those poor Muslims," he added.

The Dalai Lama said he had also delivered this message to Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi several years ago at a meeting of Nobel Peace Prize laureates.

The comments were captured on video at the airport in the Indian hill town of Dharamsala, where he has lived in exile for decades.

Rohingya refugees fleeing Burma in the face of 'ethnic cleansing' (Getty)

Discrimination against the Rohingyas – of which there were around one million in the country before the crisis - is largely fuelled by an extremist version of Buddhism, which claims the religion is under threat from Islam.

While Burmese Buddhists worship the Buddha, they follow a different religious tradition than Tibetans and do not recognise the Dalai Lama as their spiritual leader.

The Dalai Lama also joins a number of other peace icons in calling for an end to the violence.

In particular, Nobel Prize winners Malala Yousafzai and Desmond Tutu have urged State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi to intervene.

Rohingya refugees – in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya refugees – in pictures A young girl and a baby wade through mud after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh from Burma on 10 September Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya refugees walk through a camp in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh after arriving from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures A young Rohingya refugee gathers firewood after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya refugees wait for sacks of rice to be distributed in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees arrive on a boat in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh after crossing from Burma on 8 September Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees react after being re-united with each other after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh on a boat from Burma Getty Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees walk along the remains of a road after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh on a boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees wade through water after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees wade through water after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Myanmar Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees stand in the rain after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Indian children hold placards and shout slogans during a protest against the alleged persecution of the Rohingya Muslims in Burma EPA/Raminder Pal Singh Rohingya refugees – in pictures Supporters of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC), an Islamic organisation, listen to their leaders' speeches against Burma's persecution of Rohingya Muslims, during a demonstration in Karachi Reuters/Akhtar Soomro Rohingya refugees – in pictures Hundreds of Iranians take part in a protest against violence in Myanmar after weekly Friday prayers, in Tehran EPA/Abedin Taherkenareh Rohingya refugees – in pictures Indonesian Muslim activists hold placards and shout slogans during a protest against the alleged persecution of the Rohingya minority in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia EPA/Ali Lutfi Rohingya refugees – in pictures Members of an Islamic organisation shout slogans against the Burma government during a protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh EPA

Ms Suu Kyi, was awarded the Nobel prize in 1991, which recognised her as Burma’s “modern symbol of freedom” after her decades-long campaign for democracy in the military state.

Despite her ascent in Burmese political life, Ms Suu Kyi has remained largely silent on the Rohingya minority, who are not recognised as citizens of the country.