> [...] I think that we could be looking at three potential
> paths towards mysticism,
I don't believe there are three (plus) separate paths to mysticism. For me, the key feature is practicing austerities. Since mysticism is inherently anti-heroic (and even anti-adventurer), I don't see how making distinctions between mystics (apart from the obvious look-and-feel) can tell us what we don't already know. In story terms, mystics are a plot device and can be invincible (as Mashunasan was) or easily killable (as Thomas Becket and the Buddha were) as need be for the purposes of the story.
--Peter Metcalfe
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