The temple is said to have served as a political backdrop and that the reasons why the Tokugawa family put so much effort into its construction include that they were followers of the Pure Land sect, the 25th generation head-priest Choyo Zongyu was the brother of Nagachika MATSUDAIRA, it was a focal point of the Tokugawa family in Kyoto and demonstrated their power as well as keeping the Imperial Court in check.
徳川家が知恩院の造営に力を入れたのは、徳川家が浄土宗徒であることや知恩院25世超誉存牛（ちょうよぞんぎゅう）が松平氏第5代長親の弟であること、京都における徳川家の拠点とすること、徳川家の威勢を誇示し、朝廷を牽制することといった、政治的な背景もあったと言われている。