What are the six paths?

Question

In one of the scanlated versions of Naruto manga chapter 510, Madara mentioned the following two things:

1. "Legend has it that Uchiha Madara was bested by Hashirama Senju... but is the legend true?"
   "The true winner is he who chose on the future... and the real fight is about to begin."
   "I fought that battle to gain access to his abilities."

   "I am Uchiha Madara! The man who obtained Senju Hashirama's powers!"
   "Two of the Six Paths are now one being!"

   _{(image of the panel)}

2. "You are the third of the Sixth Paths..."
   "Look at you, you overexerted your powers so much that the Uzumaki clan's trademark red hair turned snow white."

   _{(image of the panel)}

So, what are the 6 paths that Madara was referring to, and how is Nagato the third one of them?

Answer 1

The six paths are related to the Sage of the Six paths and Pain. Recall that Pain had clones that each specialized in something? Well each one had contained one path from the six

1. Deva Path - Attraction and repulsion
2. Asura Path - Attack and defense
3. Human Path - Ability to read minds
4. Animal Path - Ability to summon
5. Preta Path - Absorbing Chakra
6. Naraka Path - Summon the Hell King

There is also the 7th path that Pain wasn't able to master, which was the Outer Path, the ability to control life and death. Pain used the Outer Path to revive the members of Konoha, however it costed him his life.

So when Tobi was talking about the 6 paths, he was talking about all the people that had control over the 6 paths. First would be the Sage of the Six paths, then it would be Madara, and lastly it would be Nagato.

On a side note, seeing as how he is not called the Sage of the Seven Paths, I think it is safe to assume he could not control life and death. Meaning he would also probably have to sacrifice his life in order to use the Outer Path.

Answer 2

I think that the translation is incorrect as well.

Obito says that he has the powers of the two Sage of Six Paths. He probably means that he has the power of the Uchiha and Senju, Indra and Asura. Of course, he could also be talking about Hagoromo and Asura since Hagoromo is the Sage of the Six Paths and Asura got all of his father's powers making him a Pseudo Rikudo Sennin maybe? Or Just the second Rikudo Sennin.

Another thing is that he probably means that he has the powers of the Uchiha and Senju, thus "Two of the Six Paths powers are now one being!" That's what I think.

Answer 3

I thought maybe another version of the Six Paths could have been the paths of Indra and Ashura, Madara and Hashirama, Naruto and Sasuke; and the paths needed to create peace; six people, six paths of life.