The Six Paths of Reincarnation is based on the realms of rebirth in Buddhist cosmology; a cycle of death and rebirth, where a person is reincarnated into one of the six realms depending on their accumulated karma from their past life.
Mukuro Rokudo has acquired powerful abilities in each of the realms due to repeatedly dying when he was experimented on by the Estraneo Famiglia.
Description
In Buddhism, Saṃsāra is an endless cycle in which a person experiences endless births, deaths, and rebirths until that person has attained nirvana.
Mukuro acquired his skills by having followed the ways of the Six Paths which has been carved into his memories, possibly due to the experiments he underwent as a child. As he uses a certain skill, the kanji of the number referring to the path where the skill is obtained appears on his right red eye. Chrome Dokuro shares the same skills with Mukuro, as she shares the same body with him.
The Six Paths
First Path
First Path.
The Realm of Hell (地獄道, Jigokudō?, lit. Niraya Path), also known as the Naraka Path or Hell Path, is represented by the numeral kanji for "one" (一, ichi?). It grants Mukuro the power to create real illusions capable of manifesting in the physical world. This power is a form of reality-warping, but the illusion must be preconceived before the power manifests. Seemingly, Mukuro can use this ability without having the illusion to appear in the physical world, but in the mind.
Real illusions were made by Chrome with Mukuro's help during the battle with Glo Xinia. During the Choice aftermath, Mukuro appeared in front of Byakuran as a real illusion with the Realm of Hell mark.
Second Path
Second Path.
The Realm of Hungry Ghosts (餓鬼道, Gakidō?, lit. Preta Path), also known as the Preta Path, is represented by the numeral kanji for "two" (二, ni?).
It grants Mukuro the power to use the skills of others. It seems to require Mukuro to currently possess a person's body to be able to perfectly perform their signature moves.
Third Path
Third Path.
The Realm of Beasts (畜生道, Chikushōdō?, lit. Tiryagyoni Path), also known as the Tiryagyoni Path or Animal Path, from the Middle Chinese meanings "livestock + livestock; sacrificial animal", is represented by the numeral kanji for "three" (三, san?).
It grants Mukuro the power to summon and control deadly animals such as poisonous snakes or wild dogs.
'Chikushōdō' is also a pun meaning "damn it."
Fourth Path
Fourth Path.
The Realm of Demons (修羅道, Ashuradō?, lit. Asura Path), also known as the Asura Path, is represented by the numeral kanji for "four" (四, shi?).
It grants Mukuro an increase in combat capabilities. When using this path, Mist Flames surround Mukuro's right eye.
Fifth Path
Fifth Path.
The Realm of Humans (人間道, Ningendō?, lit. Manuṣya Path), also known as the Manuṣya Path or Human Path, is represented by the numeral kanji for "five" (五, go?).
It increases Mukuro's battle aura, thus strengthening him. It is considered to be the most dangerous of the six realms. To enter it, Mukuro pierces his right eye and a type of aura resembling the Dying Will Flames then surrounds Mukuro's entire body. However, unlike the Dying Will Flame, Mukuro's aura, in and of itself, possess no danger as it is simply a representation of Mukuro's fighting spirit.
Sixth Path
Sixth Path.
The Realm of Heavens (天道, Tendō?, lit. Deva Path), otherwise known as the Deva Path or Heaven Path, is represented by the numeral kanji for "six" (六, roku?).
This grants Mukuro the power to mind control others. This is the path he used on Lancia, Futa, Guido Greco, and continually on Chrome to help her. The Sixth Path also gives Mukuro the ability to project himself as a real illusion, as seen in his fight with Viper.
Trivia
- In the manga, Mukuro stated that he had 6 past lives to gain the Six Paths of Reincarnation, but in the anime, Mukuro stated that his body went through all six paths to Hades instead.
- In the anime, Mukuro does not pierce his right eye when entering the Fifth Path.