Crossing the Threshold, in a Heroic Journey, reveals that the Hero has fully committed to their journey. By this point, the Hero must be prepared to cross the gateway that separates the Ordinary and Special Worlds, and the Hero must have already confronted an event that forces them to commit to entering the Special World. Internal forces may be the event that cause the Hero to accept the Special World.
Siddhartha's internal longing for enlightenment cause him to accept the Special World, the world of spirituality, and Cross the Threshold by "[learning] a great deal from the Samanas."1 With the Samanas, he destroyed sensual desire, ill will, and is still attempting to destroy the idea of identity. He was able to "[lose] the Self," "but although the paths took him away from Self, in the end they always led back to it."1 It is clear Siddhartha is now committed to finding enlightenment and obtaining Nirvana.
Here, Siddhartha has destroyed sensual desire, ill will, and conceit. He has subdued his restlessness, and his idea of Self. However, because he has not fully removed his restlessness, the Self, and the ascetic rituals he is practicing at this point, he is still likely at stream-enterer or once-returner, as the fetters he has abandoned are high level fetters, though the ones he still possesses are low level fetters, and some high level fetters.
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