"The Dalai Lama said that he thinks mother's love is the best symbol for love and compassion, because it is totally disinterested"

Richard Gere shares a profound reflection from the Dalai Lama regarding the nature of love and compassion, focusing on the example of a mother’s love. The statement suggests that a mother's love is an archetype, a pure form, of true affection and deep empathy. What sets it apart is its quality of being “totally disinterested.” Here, “disinterested” is not used in the sense of lacking care, but rather refers to a lack of self-interest or ulterior motives. A mother’s love, in its ideal form, is unconditional. She gives care, protection, and nurturing to her child without expectation of something in return, without seeking benefits or rewards. Such love is driven by the pure desire to see her child safe and flourishing, placing the needs and well-being of the other ahead of her own.

The Dalai Lama, known for his teachings on universal compassion, elevates this form of love as the ultimate standard. By likening compassion to a mother’s love, he encourages people to cultivate an attitude that is free from selfish concerns, one that focuses on the happiness and relief of suffering of others. Love, in this sense, is expansive and inclusive. It is not confined by personal desire, romantic attachment, or even family bonds alone, but grows into an attitude that can reach all beings. To aspire to such “disinterested” compassion means to approach others with selfless goodwill, patience, and genuine concern.

Gere's reference echoes the heart of Buddhist philosophy, where the highest form of compassion (karuṇā) is impartial and universal, modeled on the fundamental selflessness that ideally characterizes a mother’s relationship to her child. This vision challenges individuals to re-examine their motivations, striving to love and care for others without ego or expectation, aspiring to the same pure, undemanding generosity that defines a mother's embrace.