# How many seconds in a year?

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Joke
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-joke-twelve-seconds-in-a-year
- Themes: humour, riddles
- Life situations: needing a laugh

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

After walking through 60/60/24/365, the answer is 12: the 2nd of January, February, March…

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

How many seconds are there in one year? Oh, come on. It's easy. You know the answer, Bill? No. No, the answer is 12. January the 2nd

## Teaching point

(Riddle.)

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

Sixty seconds a minute, sixty minutes an hour, twenty-four hours, 365 days: so how many seconds in a year? Twelve: the second of January, the second of February, and so on. Ajahn Brahm loves riddles because they jolt the mind out of its ruts. Assumptions trip us up. Look again with fresh eyes.

## Source

- [Relax the Mind | Ajahn Brahm | 13 June 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_HZAqnmAYM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:06:02 to 1:06:28: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_HZAqnmAYM&t=3962s