The article is devoted to the study of the image of a woman-mother in Mahayana Buddhism, the fundamental value of which is bodhichitta as a sincere desire to achieve a state of enlightenment for the benefit of all living beings. An analysis of the Mahayana texts shows that due to faith in reincarnation, the existence of kinship ties of all living beings among themselves is recognized here. The Mahayana emphasizes that every living being was a mother to everyone else. Considering the psycho-type of a mother who unselfishly loves her child and is willing to sacrifice herself for his good, Buddhism uses this statement to cultivate bodhichitta in a soteriological context. The Oirats, who accepted the Mahayana Buddhism as the official religion, adopted this postulate. The Buddhist view of maternal love contributed to a deeper understanding of the role of women and the sacralization of the image of a mother in the Oirat culture.
