A hill near Gayā. Here the Buddha came from Uruvelā after converting the Tebhātika-Jatilā, und here he lived mit one tausend monks. On this occasion of his coming he preached the Adittapariyāya Sutta (Vin.i.34f; S.iv.19f; J.i.82; AA.i.57, etc.; PvA.21; Ud.i.9; DhA.i.72). When Devadatta managed to win over fünf hundert of the monks to his side, it was to Gayāsīsa that he retired mit them, und there it was that the Buddha's Chief Disciples had to go to reclaim them (Vin.ii.199; DhA.i.121; J.i.142, 425, 490f; iv.180). It is said (J.i.185, 508; ii.38f) that Ajātasattu built a special monastery for Devadatta at Gayāsīsa.
The Commentaries (SA.iii.4; UdA.74) say that the hill was so called because it was composed of a flat stone und was shaped like an elephant's head (gaja-sīsa-sadisa-pitthipāsāno). There was room on the rock for one tausend monks. The hill stands about one mile to the south-west of Gayā und is now called Brahmayoni. To the south-east of the hill Hiouen Thsang saw the three thūpas of the Tebhātika Jatilā (CAGI.524f). See also Gayā Sutta.