(Prepared 17 April 2026) 1. Introduction Guththila Kavya (also spelled Gutthila or Guththila Kavyaya ) is one of the most celebrated works of classical Sinhala poetry. Composed in the Maha‑Kavya (great epic) style, it tells the legendary rivalry between the Buddhist monk Maha Thero and the talented, yet mischievous, Guththila , a court‑musician and poet. The text is a key source for understanding medieval Sinhala literature, language development, Buddhist moral philosophy, and the cultural milieu of the Kotte and Gampola periods (14th–15th centuries CE).