The m_ssing piece
Venerable Thubten Konchog 
Dharma Poetry 
Mar 23, 2025 
This is the last of four poems Venerable Thubten Konchog of Sravasti Abbey wrote to mark his 40th birthday.
There’s a piece missing.
You’re asking yourself the right question,
A very important question indeed,
But there’s a piece missing in your reasoning.
It’s keeping you awake at night,
And makes you aloof in the day time,
In the equation to happiness,
There’s a very crucial factor you’ve missed.
Although dressed in different outfits,
It is the same question that haunts you:
What is the meaning of my life?
What does it mean to live a meaningful life?
What’s all of this about?
Is this really all there is?
There’s a _____ missing
You’re asking yourself the right questions
Very important ones indeed,
But there’s a _____ missing in your reasoning.
You’re bu__ding your sand castles,
You’re doing just l_k_ everybody else,
But you can’t k_ep yourself f_om thinking,
Abo_t the upc_ming tide wh_ch is goi_g to wipe it a_l off.
“Is th_s real_y all t_ere is?”
Qui_k, quick!
Im_erse yours_ in new exciting proje_ts,
Keep aw_y th__ nagging f__ling,
Th_s hunger f_r meaning.
But ____ before
_____ long _____ everything
feels _____ hollow
all _____ over _____ again…
…Others
As long as this crucial piece is missing,
Others
This nagging feeling of hunger,
Others
Hunger for purpose and meaning,
Others
Will never go away.
If you want to find the true meaning of your life,
Lasting fulfillment and sustenance for the heart,
If you really care about yourself…
…Care for others.
More poems in this series:
Venerable Thubten Konchog
Ven. Thubten Konchog moved to Sravasti Abbey in June 2022. In August, at the end of Exploring Monastic Life, he was ordained as an Anagarika (under the name of Donyo). By the end of 2022 he followed and assisted Venerable Chodron for 6 weeks during her teaching tour in Singapore and was very moved to see the incredible positive impact his teacher had on people. The tour ended in Bodh Gaya where they attended His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings. He made his request to be ordained to Venerable Thubten Chodron at the Mahabodhi temple in January 2023. On May 20th 2023, he was ordained as a novice monk (Sramanera). Venerable Master Jian Hu was his preceptor on this most joyful occasion. In his “previous life” before going forth, Ven. Konchog was a musician and worked as a soundman and lighting technician for theaters, music bands, and circuses. He’s now happy to use his expertise to help spread the Dharma. At the Abbey, he finds a lot of joy in balancing his time between his practice and caring for the 375 acres of the Abbey’s forest (another of his passions), producing videos, and using technology to help in whatever way he can.
