Contemplation: The Bodhisattva who is Ill, 4

After reviewing the guidelines for practice, take the following as your object of contemplation:

[The bodhisattva] is not bound by the conditions of his birth, and hence he is able to preach the [Dharma] for living beings and liberate them from their bonds.  As the Buddha has said, if one is in bonds himself, to suppose he can free others from their bonds is hardly reasonable.  But if one is himself free of bonds, it is perfectly reasonable to assume he can free the bonds of others.  Therefore the bodhisattva must not conjure up bonds for himself.

Vimalakirti Sutra, p. 70