[jhkjurter]

A sense of mission is not necessarily a bad thing. Buddhism encourages chanda, usually translated as "zeal" or "wholesome desire".

In Buddhism, this desire for true well-being is called dhammachanda (desire for that which is right), kusalachanda (desire for that which is skillful), or in short, chanda.

The objective of chanda is dhamma or kusaladhamma, truth and goodness. Truth and goodness must be obtained through effort, and so chanda leads to action, as opposed to tanha, which leads to seeking. Chanda arises from intelligent reflection (yoniso-manasikara), as opposed to tanha, which is part of the habitual stream of ignorant reactions.

However, zeal can turn into zealotry or fanaticism, so there is room for caution:

Zeal (chanda) is a feeling of great energy and enthusiasm. It can be activated by several things – a sense of certainty as a result of studying and practising the Dhamma, by being inspired by a particularly virtuous or wise person, by experiencing the benefits of meditation, even by contemplating the inevitability of death. The Buddha says that the value of zeal is that it animates the will and gives us energy, confidence and determination (M.II,175). However, if not held in check, zeal can deteriorate into agitation, the mistaken belief that anything can be achieved by sheer will-power, and even fanaticism. We should, the Buddha said, use our energy the way we would catch a quail. If we were to grasp the quail too tight, we might squeeze it to death. If we did not hold it tight enough, it might fly through our fingers (M.III,159). There needs to be a balance between zeal on the one hand and patience, relaxation and mental calm on the other.

It might be worth considering this distinction when considering how the Bodhisattva Vows can be applied in practice. If we are not enlightened ourselves, there is always the risk of slipping into egotism or fantasy, at which point we have exchanged chanda for tanha. To avoid this problem, we can use the paramitas as a reference, and more generally ask ourselves if our actions and thoughts are kusala (wholesome) or akusala (unwholesome). Perhaps for some it could be useful to think of Guan Yin or Manjushri and the values they symbolize. How would they advise us in a given situation?