Born in Kurunegala and ordained in 1970, Venerable Piyadassi graduated from the University of Kelaniya with an honours degree in Pāli.

He is the Managing Trustee of the World Buddhist Foundation. He founded the Śrī Saddhātissa International Buddhist Centre in 1989.

He was awarded an MBE in 2003. He has been serving as the abbot since the founding of the SSIBC.