Thank You All for this great thread on the proof that the Protector Dorje Shugden is a Buddha. I will offer my argument in support of this here.
The 10 reasons stated in the article and quoted by jagger is definitely valid. That link is as follows for your convenience.
http://www.dorjeshugden.com/spread-the-word/write-a-letter/10-reasons-why-dorje-shugden-is-a-buddha/First I would like to point out that the "ban" initially started in 1977 when the Dalai Lama began speaking out against the use of the deity as an institutional protector and laying restrictions on public performances of the practice. He stated that the Shugden practice is in conflict with the state protector Pehar and with the main protective goddess of the Gelug tradition and the Tibetan people, Palden Lhamo. He also stated that the practice encourages sectarian rivalry between Tibetan Buddhist schools. The Dalai Lama states that he has not forbidden the Shugden practice but only advised against it, and that individuals should decide for themselves if they want to practice it privately; however, he does not wish practitioners to attend his formal religious teachings.
From March 1996 onwards, the Dalai Lama decided to move more forcefully on this issue,which "is to be seen in connection with his interest in finding common ground in the main schools of Tibetan Buddhism so as to overcome precisely those exclusivist tendencies that Shugden is said to protect." Many believes this was a response "to growing pressure - particularly from other schools of Tibetan Buddhism such as the Nyingmapa, who threatened withdrawal of their support in the Exiled Government project. The Dalai Lama stated during a Buddhist Tantric initiation that Shugden was 'an evil spirit' whose actions were detrimental to the 'cause of Tibet'.The Dalai Lama concluded that henceforth he would not give Tantric initiations to worshippers of Shugden, since "the unbridgeable divergence of their respective positions would inevitably undermine the sacred guru-student relationship, and thus compromise his role as a teacher (and by extension his health)."
It is clear that the main and perhaps only reason that the Dalai Lama instituted the ban is due pressures from other schools of Tibetan Buddhism for political reasons. It is due to the collective karma of the Tibetan people and via that the Tibetan government that the ban was put into place as a means to "unite" the Tibetan people. However, the greatest paradox is that the ban actually divided the Tibetan people into 2 main groups ie the non-Shugden and the Shugden group. Also, resulting from the ban, Shugden practice has spread farther and wider than ever in its history.
By inferential logic, since many great lamas including the Dalai Lama have practiced the protector practice, the basis of the logic is clear that the protector is enlightened. Hence, the ban represent a crossroad and divergence for the practice to spread. One branch of the divergence is the non-Shugden practitioner. This branch serve to "strengthen and unite" these non-shugden practitioners including the CTA and the other branch is the Shugden practitioners who has gone on to spread the practice far and wide. So now, Tibetan Buddhism has 2 strong followings albeit these groups seems to be in conflict with each other; but both these groups have gained very high international profiles ie are famous.
In the Dharma, it is said that the most important thing is the result of practicing the Dharma. By the same logic, the result of the ban and hence the main argument that the Protector Dorje Shugden is a Buddha is the result of the ban.
A Buddha is a Buddha.
Whatever is done to him,
Or his practice,
Will ultimately bring positive results.
With folded hands!
YJ.
