D E K E L I N G is a small Buddhist meditation community in Portland, Oregon. We created this portfolio of images to celebrate and appreciate the spread of Tibetan Buddhism to the West. We hope the images that people have shared here help you feel and remember the kind spirit of the people portrayed.
The collection includes early and mostly amateur photographs of two generations of contemporary Buddhist teachers and the practice communities they founded and served. We have also added images of noteworthy examples of thangka paintings and sculpture. In addition, you’ll find photographs of several important Buddhist cultural sites. We hope that seeing these images will inspire conversations and enrich learning in meditation communities near and far.
The majority of the photos on the site come from the personal archives of beloved Portland artist, author, teacher and Buddhist practitioner, Sanje Elliott, but there are a few images of unknown origin. If you should find an image that is yours, and you would like us to credit you and/or remove the image, please email project volunteers at dekelingPDX@gmail.com and we will act immediately. If by chance we have misidentified a person or place, we appreciate your corrections, as well. If you would like to add your photos to the archive, please feel free to contact us for submission instructions.
Thank you to the kind friends and benefactors of Sanje who made the website possible. Sanje, you have taught and inspired us through your devotion to the dharma, to beauty, and to all beings. Dekeling has committed to the site’s construction and preservation. May all beings benefit from the effort to document images and stories that might otherwise be lost. May the conversations they spark be a source of joy and awakening for all.
We request that no profit in any form shall be made from this site.
Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche, Mt. Tam, 1974. Photo by Sanje Elliott.