We come back to the two truths of relative/ultimate: ultimately, there is no agenda - and no need for an agenda, since we realise that all beings are already Buddhas. But relatively, our perceptions are impure and we still see ignorant suffering sentient beings, so we cultivate the vast aspiration of bodhichitta to liberate all of them.

The Mahayana path is very skilful in having both relative and ultimate bodhichitta integrated as parts of our practice, and Vajrayana practices in particular such as ngöndro and sadhana practices offer perhaps the most skilful "technology" for this integration.

I've always loved verse 6:226, the last verse of the famous chapter 6 of Chandrakirti's Madhyamakavatara, which beautifully captures how the bodhisattva, like the king of swans, needs both wings - relative and ultimate truth - to be able to fly, but with that they fly ahead of lesser birds to the far and supreme shore:

[6:226] And like the king of swans, ahead of lesser birds they soar,
On broad white wings of relative and ultimate full spread.
And on the strength of virtue’s mighty wind they fly
To gain the far and supreme shore, the oceanic qualities of Victory.

Thanks Alex! In particular I was reminiscing on the Mahabharat when Krishna says to Arjuna to not have any wish for outcome- because if he wishes for victory then he may be disappointed if he loses, and if he wins then he might become arrogant. But perhaps since we are talking about different rules here, we can apply intention and motivation by having an agenda in the relative truth. As you said, even if our aspiration doesn’t come true because we weren’t able to enlighten even one sentient being, but we won’t be dissapointed 🙂