This is a timely post,as the controversy rages over whether Dorje Shugden is a spirit or not and whether the ban, by HH Dalai Lama, on the worship of Shugden (being founded on this reason - of his being a spirit) is justified or not .
If the ban being imposed on Shugden practice were justified, then the great master Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche - who authored 'Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand' and who collected the teachings of all Sutra and Tantra of the Gelug(Je Tsongkapa's) Lineage to pass on to his heart son Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche so that they would not be lost to posterity with the fall of Tibet to the Chinese - had been worshipping a spirit and all these teachings and practices of the Gelug Lineage would be so tainted as to render them ineffective without blessings and power.
The fact that Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche has emanated again because of his great compassion to benefit all beings, shows that Dorje Shugden is NOT A SPIRIT but A BUDDHA AND A SUPRAMUNDANE DHARMA PROTECTOR. If Dorje Shugden were a spirit, then Pabongka Rinpoche would now be roasting in the fires of hell. His emanation or Tulku would not have manifested.
It is heartening to know that , despite the efforts of anti-Shugdenists to suppress him and despite the constant threat to his safety from them, the current Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche has been tirelessly working to spread the Dharma in China and in Kham. He is currently visiting the monastery of a great master Denma Gonsar Rinpoche, who is himself deeply devoted to Dorje Shugden. Another piece of evidence to show that Dorje Shugden is not a spirit is that this great Shugden practitioner's incarnation has also manifested.
China will surely embrace the current Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche as his previous incarnation is in the "bad books" of HH Dalai Lama on account of his strong support and spread of Shugden practice. Indeed, it was the previous Pabongka Rinpoche, who had received the whole practice of Shugden from his Guru Tagpu Rinpoche; the latter had in turn received it directly from the King Protector in Gaden Heaven. Pabongka Rinpoche had tirelessly spread Shugden practice as he worked relentlessly(at the same time) to grow and spread Je Tsongkapa/the Gelug Lineage of teachings and practice.
Thus, we see here how enlightened beings are 'working together' to promote the Dharma and the Protector of that Dharma .Though, we still do not understand all this from our ordinary view of things.