Stephen Hodge wrote:

> Also, I am not sure whether copyright can be applied retrospectively --
> this Pali Dic was originally published in 1968, before, I believe, Japan
> had implemented copyright laws.

Copyright law in Japan goes much further back than 1968, as you can see on
this site:

http://www.cric.or.jp/cric_e/csj/csj.html

Quote:

"The first legislation on copyright was the Publishing Ordinance, which was
enacted in 1869. This Ordinance provided for both the protection of copyright
and the regulation on publishers. In 1887, the copyright part of this
Ordinance became independent as a newly established legislation called the
Copyright Ordinance, which is said to be the first copyright legislation in
Japan in substance.

Japan acceded to the Berne Convention in 1899. As a new set of provisions was
required to comply with the Berne Convention, the Copyright Ordinance was
changed as a whole into the Copyright Law in 1899. This Copyright Law of 1899
(the old Copyright Law) is referred to as the first modern copyright law of
Japan consistent with the international standard of copyright protection."

As to fair use practices, I do not see a clear-cut provision in the Japanese
law (see here: http://www.cric.or.jp/cric_e/clj/clj.html, under Subsection 5
Limitations on Copyright) which would specifically endorse your proposed use
of the work. It is dubious, at best. More so, if one feels the Buddha's
precepts should be kept.

I think a far better course of action would be, if a knowledgeable member of
the list would compile a similar set of tables and put them into the public
domain. Unfortunately, I have just begun studying Pali and don't think I will
be qualified to do such a work in the near future, or I would do it myself.

Lothar