Śrimālā: The One Noble Truth; The One Refuge

“O Lord, among these four noble truths, three are impermanent and one is permanent. Why? Because three of the [four] noble truths are conditioned. What is ‘conditioned’ is impermanent and what is ‘impermanent’ is false and deceptive in nature. What is ‘false and deceptive in nature’ is not true, is impermanent, and is not a refuge. Therefore, the [three] noble truths, namely, ‘there is suffering,’ ‘there is the source of suffering,’ and ‘there is the path,’ are not the supreme truth for they are neither permanent nor a refuge.”

“The one noble truth, namely, ‘the extinction of suffering,’ is separate from the conditioned. What is ‘separate from the conditioned’ is permanent. What is ‘permanent’ is not false and deceptive in nature. What is ‘not false and deceptive in nature’ is true, permanent, and a refuge. Therefore, the noble truth of the extinction [of suffering] is the supreme truth.”

The Sutra of Queen Śrimālā of the Lion’s Roar, p47-48