My previous reply wasn't the one I thought I'd posted to the group.
This is my second attempt. --Jim

--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, Nina van Gorkom <vangorko@...> wrote:

> <"Sata~nca dhammo na jara.m upetii"ti ettha nibbaane vattati.
> In the passage "And true dhamma is not susceptible to decay", here
> dhamma means nibbaana...>

Dear Nina,

The "sata.m" in "sata~nca" is not an adjective in the same case
as "dhammo". It is a genitive plural noun form of "sant" and should
be translated as "of the true ones". So, "true dhamma" should be "the
dhamma of the true ones" or the "the true ones' dhamma. This is made
clear with "santaana.m" in the commentary below on Dhp 151:

"Sata~ncaati buddhaadiina.m pana santaana.m navavidho lokuttaradhammo
ca kiñci upaghaata.m na upetiiti na jara.m upeti naama."
--Dhp-a III 123

Best wishes,
Jim