Describes a situation where one is unable even to save oneself, let alone help others; literally means a clay Buddha crossing a river, as the statue would dissolve in the water.

a clay idol crossing a river is hard-pressed to save itself; hardly able to save oneself, let alone help others

a clay Buddha falling into water; an idiom meaning one is unable to save oneself, let alone help others

literally meaning "like a clay Bodhisattva fording a river, one cannot guarantee even one's own safety"; used to describe a situation where someone is in such trouble that they cannot help others