Historical Layer

What the source actually states or preserves, using short references and original prose.

Development Layer

How later traditions interpret, expand, systematize, or relocate the figure, order, or symbol.

Comparative Layer

Parallels across traditions are noted as parallels, not equivalences.

Reflective Layer

Reflective Inquiry, Contemplative Observation, Meditative Question, and Symbolic Reflection are used for study. This is contemplation, not advice.