Board Thread:Theories and Speculation/@comment-35448581-20160502192848/@comment-734582-20160519205641

GurīnEnGan no Seiin wrote: @Thekillman. the thing is that at the beginning of the series a Dojutsu was just something the eye itself did, I know, but i think it's better explained as the Rinnegan being the indication that Six Paths power is present, rather than being the source of all power. in Nagato's case the six paths chakra in his Rinnegan just slowly bled into his body. He doesn't manifest any of the powers until Yahiko dies, except easily understanding jutsu, nature transformations and seeing chakra.

Using the Rinnegan, it makes much more sense that all these jutsu are simply invented and used with it's various powers. E.g. Obito's sealing chains. DB4 states that Asura path simply summons the weapons and tools. If i recall correctly, Asura Path was a puppeteer so it makes sense Nagato simply copied and enhanced his Jutsu. Similarly with Animal Path, his Naraka could've allowed him to revive long-extinct creatures. We've already seen a rare creature skeleton in Obito's hideout.

It seems to me that the Black Receivers aren't a rinnegan power at all, but rather are the Gedo's power (since it is used to bind to it).

So it seems to me that the Rinnegan is simply a medium through which great jutsu can be created, and the paths are not necessarily actual powers.