By the time he reached forty years of age, Yung-chia had become quite well known, and many practitioners sought his teachings. One monk, Hsuan-ts'e, who was a disciple of the Sixth Patriarch, Hui-neng, visited Yung-chia at Lung-hsing temple. Hsuan-ts'e was amazed that Yung-chia's insight was on par with that of enlightened masters, even though Yung-chia had not been recognized as a master.

Hsuan-ts'e asked Yung-chia where and how he had gained such deep insight. Yung-chia replied, "When I studied sutras and sastras, individual masters taught me specific things. Later, when I penetrated the essence of Buddha's mind through the Vimalakirti Sutra, there was no master who could certify my understanding."

Hsuan-ts'e was astonished, but he pointed out to Yung-chia that he could only be considered what was called a "naturally attained outer path practitioner, " because his enlightenment arose spontaneously and naturally, without a specific practice or guidance from a master. Hsuan-ts'e told Yung-chia that such experiences had not been officially accepted since the time of Wei-in Wang Buddha.

Wei-in Wang Buddha, mentioned in the Lotus Sutra, lived in the remote past (innumerable kalpas ago) and stayed in the world for an unimaginably long time. Wei-in Wang symbolizes the earliest Buddha, prior to which there were no thoughts, conception or language. As he was the earliest Buddha, there were obviously no masters who could affirm his understanding. Language and thought evolved after Wei-in Wang, and this enabled masters to test and certify the experiences of their disciples.

Hsuan-ts'e stressed to Yung-chia that naturally attained enlightenment was limited. He advised Yung-chia to seek the guidance of a master. Yung-chia asked if Hsuan-ts'e could affirm his understanding, but the monk deferred to his own master, Hui-neng, and he took Yung-chia to Ts'ao-ch'i to see him.