: Re: How do I obtain permission to quote a Buddhist teaching in my fiction book? In the book I have written, one of my characters recites a portion of the Dhammapada. How do I avoid violating

@Speyer920

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There are a few basic copyright rules, but it is a significant grey area when it comes to fiction. In the US, information in the "public domain" is always legal to draw from. This begins 90 years after print publication (1927). However, this does not take into account retranslations coming after 1927.

Facts are always allowed for reproduction as long as they're verifiable facts. Names, places, dates, etc., are always ok.

Reporting actions are ok, but attributing those actions to a particular motive begins to open you up to risk.

Song lyrics are particularly tricky, or so I've been told.

However, commercial publishing companies have their own attorneys to deal with such things. You should finish your book, a mammoth task, and then worry about the problems.

In the end, if your book is fictional, it wouldn't be too hard to alter the exact translation and still get your point across. This may still open you up to some risk, so if it's really a problem, and you expect to make at least a few thousand dollars, you can always talk to an attorney.

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