MADISON, Wis. -- The Dalai Lama is in Madison for a six-day trip that began with a public talk to thousands gathered at the Alliant Energy Center's Veterans Memorial Coliseum Saturday afternoon.

But while the spiritual leader's message focused on peace and compassion, his words were also met by hundreds of protestors.

Gov. Jim Doyle led the welcome for the 73-year-old Buddhist leader.

"Wisconsin, when it's at its best, is a state that learns and listens to the lessons of the Dalai Lama," Doyle said.

Those lessons include inner peace, truth, justice, compassion and religious harmony.

But as the Dalai Lama spoke of leading a fulfilled life inside the Coliseum, outside protestors with the Western Shugden Society loudly criticized his visit with chants of, "Stop lying, Dalai Lama!"

Kelsang Pema from the Western Shugden Society explained the reasons behind the protest.

"We're here to ask the Dalai Lama to stop lying and give religious freedom to Buddhist practicioners," said Pema. "He talks about asking for religious freedom from the Chinese but yet the Buddhists are asking for religious freedom from him."

The Dalai Lama's Madison visit concludes Thursday with a ceremony in which Tibetans will wish him a long life in a series of prayers and gift offerings. Organizers said the elaborate Buddhist ritual has never been performed in the West.