Roshi began his talk by wishing everyone a happy New Year and noting that, according to the Asian calendar, this is the Year of the Horse.

He then shared that during the holiday period he listened to an interview with a well-known scientist discussing the possibility of multiple dimensions. The interviewers asked whether some of the more speculative aspects of the theory verge on religion, since we currently lack the technology or mathematics to prove them. This question prompted Roshi to reflect on what is truly knowable and provable.

At first glance, something as simple as the equation “1 + 1 = 2” might seem unquestionably certain. Yet when Bertrand Russell and Alfred North Whitehead attempted to formally prove this in Principia Mathematica, they first had to devote hundreds of pages to defining fundamental concepts such as numbers and what it even means to add. Even then, the work ultimately relied on “axioms,” or assumptions accepted on faith. If we cannot have complete certainty about something as basic as adding two numbers, what does that imply about everything else we think we know?

Roshi observed that it becomes clear how little we truly “know.” As Zen students, we are already familiar with this insight from confronting our own assumptions during Jukai preparation. At the same time, Roshi emphasized that extreme skepticism is not skillful in everyday life. We still need to balance our checkbooks and pay our bills without worrying whether we fully understand arithmetic down to its first principles. In practice, we make choices every day based on belief and trust, not absolute certainty.

Roshi then introduced the “Hundredth Monkey” theory from psychology. This theory suggests that once a critical number of individuals adopt a new behavior or idea, it can suddenly spread throughout an entire population. The story describes a troop of monkeys observed in the South Pacific. One monkey began washing its food by the water, and others noticed, tried it themselves, and liked the result. Gradually, more monkeys adopted the behavior until, after reaching some critical threshold, it spread to the entire group. Roshi noted that much of human behavior follows a similar pattern. He invited us to consider how trends in fashion, music, and ideas spread—especially today, through the internet and social media.

At this point, Roshi stopped and asked the group to reflect on our role as Bodhisattvas. Through our own behavior, can we begin to change what people believe is possible? This is why Zen emphasizes bringing practice off the cushion and into daily life. As we can see, belief and imitation strongly influence action. What beliefs are we expressing through our practice? How many people might we influence, and if enough of us act in this way, could it spread throughout society? Roshi cautioned that many messages—both wholesome and harmful—are constantly circulating and can drown out our efforts. Rather than discouraging us, he said, this should inspire us to practice even more wholeheartedly.

Roshi wrapped up by reminding us that many of the deeper concepts in the Dharma are ultimately unknowable and unprovable. We will not change the world by convincing everyone to read the Abhidharma. Instead, we can focus on compassion and curiosity. Compassion, because all sentient beings wish to be free from suffering. Curiosity, because it keeps our minds open and free from aversion and fixed views. Being a Bodhisattva, Roshi emphasized, is about action, not ideas alone. In this sense, the Year of the Horse is especially auspicious for our practice. The horse is strong and powerful, and we must embody that same energy—actively practicing compassion and curiosity. When we do, others may notice, imitate our behavior, and perhaps allow it to spread throughout society.