From craving [attachment] springs grief, from craving springs fear; For him
who is wholly free from craving, there is no grief, much less fear. (Dhammapada Sutra.) If you don’t have attachments, naturally you’re liberated … In ancient times, there was an old cultivator who asked for instructions from a monk, “Great Monk, let me ask you, how can I attain liberation?” The Great monk said, “Who tied you up?” This old cultivator answered, “Nobody tied me up.”The monk said, “Then why do you seek liberation?” (Hsuan Hua, tr., Flower Adornment [Avatamsaka] Sutra, “Pure Conduct,” chap. 11).