Do you know the importance & power of Aspiration? All the Buddhas made strong and great Aspirations before they gained their Enlightenment. Below is a true Buddha’s story that illustrates the power of Aspiration.
Once, the Buddha and his disciple, Maudgalyayana went with a large gathering of followers to another country. When the citizens saw the Buddha, they ignored him. When they saw Maudgalyayana, they ran to greet him and everyone, from the King and the Ministers to the citizens all bowed and made offerings to him.
The Buddha’s disciples were really puzzled. The Buddha explained “This is because of past affinities. Many aeons ago Maudgalyayana lived in the mountain and I lived in the hut below. A swam of bees was bothering me and I decided to smoke them out. But Maudgalyayana didn’t smoke them even though they stung him until his hands were swollen and painful. Instead, he made an aspiration, ‘it must be miserable to be a bee. I vow that when I attain the Way , I will try to save these bees!’ Many lifetimes later, the bees were reborn as the citizens of this country. The queen bee became the King, the drones became the ministers and the workers became the citizens. Because I didn’t like the bees, I now have no affinity with these people. But because of his vow, all the citizens revere Maudgalyayana.”
Such is the power of Aspirations. So it is very good and meritorious to make aspirations that benefit Mankind and all beings.

Extensive Aspiration Prayer of The Pure Land

Lama Nyima