The term denotes a way of doing philosophy (or a form of "non-philosophy") that understands the limits of reason.
Though the method used by Tanabe to reach this conclusion relies on the transcendental analysis developed by Kant, Tanabe aligns the method with the Buddhist concept of Absolute Nothingness and ideas from of Pure Land Buddhism, Zen, and Christianity.
Tanabe uses the Shin Buddhist term of "Other-power" to denote this source, also called Absolute Nothingness.
This metanoia realizes the inadequacy of human efforts to discover the source of self-awareness and surrenders to it.
This surrender provides the power to continue the search for meaning within the midst of everyday life and to act in a compassionate and charitable way to bring others to self-realization.