Gavampati

Person

An Arahant, one of four wealthy young companions of the elder Yasa who followed him into the Order, later famed for using psychic power to hold back a flooding river to protect sleeping monks.

An Arahant. He was a son of a millionaire in Bārāṇasī, and one of the four lay companions of the Thera Yasa, who, when they heard of Yasa’s renunciation, imitated him and won Arahantship. Later, Gavampati lived in the Añjanavana at Sāketa. One day, when the Buddha visited the Añjanavana, some of the monks accompanying him slept on the sandbanks of the Sarabhū. The river rose in the night and there was great dismay. The Buddha sent Gavampati to stem the flood, which he did by his psychic-power. The water stopped afar off, looking like a mountain peak.

In the time of Sikhī Buddha he was a huntsman and seeing the Buddha offered him flowers. Later he built a parasol and a railing for the thūpa of Koṇāgamana Buddha. In the time of Kassapa Buddha he was a rich householder 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 sirīsa-tree. As a result he was born in the Cātummahārājika world, and his palace was known as Serissaka. (Vin.i.18 f; Thag.v.38; ThagA.i.103 f; VvA.331 f; DA.iii.814 gives a slightly different version of the origin of the Serissaka-vimāna).

Gavampati was the teacher of Mahānāga, son of Madhuvāseṭṭha (ThagA.i.443). It is said that the Serissaka-vimāna, occupied by Gavampati, remained in the Cātummahārājika world even after he had left it. (D.ii.356 f; DA.iii.814 says he went there because he found the “climate” (utu) more agreeable. SNA.i.347 says it was because he, like Piṇḍola-Bhāradvāja, loved his old haunts).

There Gavampati often spent his siesta and held conversations with Pāyāsi, who sent through him a message to the inhabitants of the earth, that they should profit by the example of him (Pāyāsi) and discriminate in the bestowal of their gifts.

The Dulvā mentions (Rockhill, p.149 f) that after the Buddha’s death, when Mahā-Kassapa wished to hold a Convocation of the chief monks, Puṇṇa was sent as a special messenger to summon Gavampati, who was then in the Serissaka-vimāna. However, Gavampati did not attend, His death being imminent. Instead he sent his bowl and three robes as a gift to the Saṅgha. Immediately afterwards he died, and Puṇṇa carried out his funeral rites.

Gavampati is evidently identical with Girinelapūjaka of the Apadāna (ii.457).