Asutoragarusu Chikyuu Sugoroku
Astragalus Earth Backgammon
Album / Collection: OST 7: Bara Tamago Sosei Roku Sofia -Chuusei yo Yomigaere!- (Rose Egg Revival Record Sophia -Middle Ages, Revive!-)
Track # 2
Vocals: Toukyou Konsei Gasshoudan, Engeki Jikkenshitsu "Ban'yuu Inryoku"
(Tokyo Mixed Chorus Troupe, Theatrical Laboratory "Universal Gravitation")
Lyrics, Music, Arrangement: J.A. Seazer
From 7th album "Bara Tamago Sosei Roku Sofia -Chuusei yo Yomigaere!- UTINAM REVIVISCAT MEDIUM AEVUM!"
(Rose Egg Revival Record Sophia -Middle Ages, Revive!- IF ONLY WE COULD REVIVE THE MIDDLE AGES!)
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[0] In the title, the "astragalus," a.k.a. the talus bone, refers to a bone in the foot that various cultures have used as dice or jacks.
"Sugoroku" is a Japanese dice-based board game identical to backgammon save some rule variations. Another version is closer to chutes and ladders.
[1] The "circle of... transmigration" refers to the Buddhist concept of samsara, known in Japanese (among other phrases) as "rutenrinne".
[2] Eternal recurrence (a.k.a. eternal return) is a philosophical concept known (among others) to the Stoics as the infinite recurrence of the universe in similar forms every time it ends and begins anew.
[3] The flames of ekpyrosis refer to a universe-ending blaze in Stoic beliefs.
[4] This sequence actually doesn't have a clear-cut translation, being made up of apparently nonsense words. The translations I chose derive from the prefix "hito" (one) and the suffixes/words "na" (I, you), "u" (Buddhist concept of bhama, or existence/becoming), and "to" (person), which seemed to fit the theme of this verse best.
[5] Sophia is in Gnosticism a goddess of wisdom, alternately an aspect of God, who chose to fall from Heaven in order to share her wisdom with and protect humanity.
Translated and transliterated by Ayu Ohseki
http://theeternalmind.livejournal.com/
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