One of the three Kassapa brothers, the Tebhātika-Jaṭilā (s.v. Uruvela-Kassapa) On leaving the world with his brothers and becoming an ascetic, he gathered round him a company of two hundred other ascetics. They all lived at Gayāsīsa, hence his name (Gayāsīse pabbajito ti Gayā Kassapo nāma jāto). When Uruvela-Kassapa was converted, Gayā-Kassapa, with his followers, joined the Order, and at the conclusion of the Ādittapariyāya Sutta they all became Arahants (Vin.i.33 f; AA.i.165). Gayā-Kassapa is reported (Thag.v.345 f) to have said that he used to bathe three times a day at Gayātittha, in order to wash away his sins during the festival of Gayāphaggu.

In the time of Sikhī Buddha he was a householder, and later became a forest-dwelling hermit. One day he saw the Buddha walking alone in the forest and offered him a kola-fruit (ThagA.i.417 f).

He is evidently identical with Koladāyaka of the Apadāna. Ap.ii.379; see also ii.483.