The cause for Michinaga's decline is considered to have been the incident on January 17, and at the same time Akinobu, who was described as 'lack of knowledge' by his father in the presence of the Emperor, was rife with anxiety about his own future, which led to his becoming a priest.
道長の辞退の理由は15日の一件と考えられているが、同時に天皇の前で父親から「不足職之者」と評された顕信は、自己の将来に対する不安を抱えていたことが突然の出家につながったというものである。