1. Gavampati Thera.-An arahant. He was a son of a setthi in Benares, and one of the four lay companions of the Thera Yasa, who, when they heard of Yasa's renunciation, imitated him and won arahant-ship. Later, Gavampati lived in the Ańjanavana at Sáketa. One day, when the Buddha visited the Ańjanavana, some of the monks accompanying him slept on the sandbanks of the Sarabhú. The river rose in the night and there was great dismay. The Buddha sent Gavampati to stem the flood, which he did by his iddhi-power. The water stopped afar off, looking like a mountain peak.
In the time of Sikhí Buddha he was a huntsman and seeing the Buddha offered him flowers. Later he built a parasol and a railing for the thúpa of Konágamana. In the time of Kassapa Buddha he was a rich house holder possessed of many cattle. One day he saw an arahant eating his meal in the sun for lack of shade, and built for him a shelter and planted in front of it a sirísa-tree. As a result he was born in the Cátummahárájika world, and his palace was known as Serissaka. (Vin.i.18f.; Thag.v.38; ThagA.i.103f; VvA.331f; DA.iii.814 gives a slightly different version of the origin of the Serissaka-vimána).
Gavampati was the teacher of Mahánága, son of Madhu-Vásettha (ThagA.i.443). It is said that the Serissaka-vimána, occupied by Gavampati, remained in the Cátummahárajika world even after he had left it. (D.ii.356f; DA.iii.814 says he went there because he found the "climate" (utu) more agreeable. SNA.i.347 says it was because he, like Pindola-bháradvája, loved his old haunts).
There Gavampati often spent his siesta and held conversations with Páyási, who sent through him a message to the inhabitants of the earth, that they should profit by the example of him (Páyási) and discriminate in the bestowal of their gifts.
The Dulvá mentions (Rockhill, p.149f) that after the Buddha's death, when Mahá Kassapa wished to hold a Convocation of the chief monks, Punna was sent as a special messenger to summon Gavampati, who was then in the Serissaka-vimána. But Gavampati did not attend, his death being imminent. Instead he sent his bowl and three robes as a gift to the Sangha.
Immediately afterwards he died, and Punna carried out his funeral rites.
Gavampati is evidently identical with Girinelapújaka of the Apadána (ii.457).
See also Gavampati Sutta below.
2. Gavampati.-The Sásanavamsa (p.36f) speaks of a Thera by this name, at whose request the Buddha went to Sudhammapura in the Rámańńa country to establish his religion. In a previous life Gavampati was born of an egg laid by a Nága maiden who had relations with a vijjá-dhara. The egg was hatched and a child was born, but it died at the age of ten and was reborn at Mithilá as Gavampati. He joined the Order at the age of seven and became an arahant. Later he visited Sudhamma-pura to preach to his mother, and there King Síha asked him to invite the Buddha to his country.
Gavampati Sutta.-Preached by Gavampati at Sahajáti in the Ceti country. A number of the senior monks were talking of dukkha, and Gavampati tells them that he knows from the Buddha's own self that whosoever understands dukkha knows all its aspects - its nature, its arising, its cessation and the path thereto. S.v.436.