甘露(lu)禪寺位于大帽(mao)山農(nong)場北面(mian),觀(guan)音山之(zhi)南麓。觀(guan)音山海(hai)拔400多米,因西部陡峭處(chu)奇石狀若披紗(sha)的觀(guan)世(shi)音座(zuo),故名。
《同安(an)縣志》載:“甘(gan)(gan)露(lu)禪寺(si)(si)(si)(si)始建(jian)于(yu)唐時(shi),后廢(fei)。明末中(zhong)興祖師無(wu)疑和尚(shang)鳩(jiu)資(zi)重修”。為(wei)二進三(san)開(kai)間,天井加拜亭的(de)宮殿式石木建(jian)筑(zhu)。寺(si)(si)(si)(si)中(zhong)原懸有(you)(you)宋(song)末宰相陸秀夫的(de)魏體寺(si)(si)(si)(si)額“甘(gan)(gan)露(lu)禪寺(si)(si)(si)(si)”和明大(da)(da)書法家(jia)張瑞圖的(de)木刻(ke)楹(ying)聯(lian),惜已毀(hui)佚(yi)。寺(si)(si)(si)(si)右山(shan)坡有(you)(you)無(wu)疑禪師的(de)舍利塔(ta),塔(ta)為(wei)圓形蓮辮紋基座,為(wei)市級(ji)文保單位,前年修葺一新。周圍有(you)(you)無(wu)疑和尚(shang)手植的(de)茶樹(shu)和榕樹(shu)。據傳甘(gan)(gan)露(lu)寺(si)(si)(si)(si)修建(jian)時(shi)遍山(shan)松(song)竹皆滴甘(gan)(gan)露(lu),故(gu)名。相傳古(gu)時(shi)原有(you)(you)上下寺(si)(si)(si)(si)九十九間,最盛時(shi)有(you)(you)百(bai)名和尚(shang)。甘(gan)(gan)露(lu)寺(si)(si)(si)(si)奉(feng)祀三(san)世佛(fo)祖,兩旁(pang)為(wei)護法神。前殿為(wei)笑(xiao)口(kou)常開(kai)喜迎八(ba)方善(shan)信的(de)彌(mi)勒菩薩。寺(si)(si)(si)(si)內(nei)有(you)(you)楹(ying)聯(lian)十多對(dui),均系(xi)古(gu)今佳作,富(fu)有(you)(you)哲理,書法精美。前殿柱聯(lian)為(wei)“碧嶺長流甘(gan)(gan)露(lu)水(shui),慧心徹悟梵天鐘”。彌(mi)勒座聯(lian)為(wei)“大(da)(da)肚包(bao)容了卻(que)人間多少事,滿腔歡喜笑(xiao)開(kai)天下古(gu)今愁(chou)”。大(da)(da)門冠頭(tou)聯(lian)為(wei)“甘(gan)(gan)如佛(fo)果參真(zhen)諦,露(lu)滴楊(yang)枝(zhi)普大(da)(da)千”。
這里群(qun)峰環抱、爭奇斗艷。北(bei)(bei)有(you)虎(hu)頭山(shan)(shan),東北(bei)(bei)有(you)大(da)埔山(shan)(shan)、大(da)帽山(shan)(shan)、寨(zhai)仔山(shan)(shan)、鵝頭山(shan)(shan),東南(nan)有(you)白云飛山(shan)(shan)、金排寨(zhai)山(shan)(shan)、蜂腰(yao)山(shan)(shan)。山(shan)(shan)上蒼松(song)翠柏,鶯(ying)歌燕舞(wu)。寺廟屹立于萬綠叢中(zhong),寺前(qian)阡陌縱橫(heng),山(shan)(shan)下(xia)村莊錯落(luo)有(you)致,炊(chui)煙縷(lv)縷(lv),有(you)世外桃源之味(wei)。清陳韜章有(you)《重游甘(gan)露寺》詩(shi)云:“為憶春初挹翠風,朝(chao)來(lai)乘興復登探。千層(ceng)峭壁螺炎簇,百尺飛泉練影涵。色帶秋棪云抹(mo)淡,名傳古剎露垂(chui)甘(gan)。憑(ping)高極(ji)目(mu)情(qing)無(wu)限,落(luo)葉蕭蕭點碧潭”。周邊(bian)美境盡入(ru)詩(shi)中(zhong)。
唐(tang)代肇(zhao)建的大帽山甘露寺,自古以(yi)來就是翔安區(qu)的名(ming)剎。但因地處偏僻山區(qu),交(jiao)通(tong)不便,人氣不旺,長期失修(xiu)。開放改革以(yi)來,所屬五(wu)保各(ge)村才聯合成(cheng)立管委會(hui),集資(zi)重修(xiu),再塑金身,古剎得以(yi)復興。
明末(mo)清(qing)初,無(wu)疑(yi)法師重(zhong)興甘(gan)露寺(si)(si)。他因率徒清(qing)理同安、漳(zhang)州屠城后(hou)的(de)積尸而善聲遠播,為(wei)避(bi)清(qing)兵追殺而避(bi)居(ju)大帽山(shan)甘(gan)露寺(si)(si),募資(zi)重(zhong)修(xiu),并創制“甘(gan)露茶”驅(qu)疫(yi)濟(ji)世(shi)。上世(shi)紀四十年代釋心(xin)清(qing)(現(xian)梅山(shan)寺(si)(si)老主持)曾在甘(gan)露寺(si)(si)修(xiu)持。
古(gu)寺(si)周圍(wei)多(duo)古(gu)跡。有宋代北同安(an)通往泉州(zhou)的捷(jie)道(dao)(dao)“古(gu)宅(zhai)十八(ba)彎”(宋景定元年鄭(zheng)公祥(xiang)和僧妙謙(qian)所造,從新圩古(gu)宅(zhai)后壁山到云中雁共(gong)十八(ba)個回(hui)頭彎,故(gu)名。)十八(ba)彎古(gu)道(dao)(dao)上(shang)達南山,下(xia)接遼野(ye),可達豪嶺的漳泉古(gu)道(dao)(dao)(形成于漢(han)時(shi))。這條古(gu)道(dao)(dao)對當時(shi)同安(an)城(cheng)的繁(fan)榮(rong)起了不(bu)可估量的作(zuo)用。
后爐村的(de)(de)大寮靈宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)是臺(tai)(tai)灣眾多太(tai)子(zi)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)的(de)(de)祖廟(miao)之一(yi),幾年(nian)來有臺(tai)(tai)南善化(hua)普安宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong),臺(tai)(tai)北士林無極殿,內湖區護安宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong),嘉義奉行宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)、圣(sheng)(sheng)清(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong),南投天法宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong),臺(tai)(tai)中妙(miao)天宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong),高雄中圣(sheng)(sheng)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)、王母宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)、明月(yue)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong),彰化(hua)社頭的(de)(de)太(tai)元宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong),樸(pu)子(zi)的(de)(de)玉圣(sheng)(sheng)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong),新竹妙(miao)圣(sheng)(sheng)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)、圣(sheng)(sheng)道宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)、明濟壇,苗(miao)栗(li)縣(xian)(xian)慈龍宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong),桃園縣(xian)(xian)的(de)(de)發清(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)等十幾所宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)廟(miao)來謁祖請火。
大帽山(shan)(shan)廣袤十多(duo)里,傳(chuan)說(shuo)(shuo)神奇。相傳(chuan)金排寨山(shan)(shan)是(shi)(shi)宋揚文(wen)廣所征服的(de)“閩南十八洞”之一(yi)。山(shan)(shan)上有(you)六角井,據說(shuo)(shuo)是(shi)(shi)揚文(wen)廣用(yong)金槍鑿成的(de)。井底巖石有(you)林(lin)希元(yuan)之篆刻(ke)(現(xian)已毀(hui))。白(bai)云飛山(shan)(shan)蜈蚣(gong)侖有(you)蘇(su)氏入閩始祖蘇(su)益陵(ling)園,現(xian)為市級文(wen)保單位(wei)。山(shan)(shan)下金柄(bing)村(cun)為唐代由泉州入遷(qian)同(tong)安的(de)黃姓(xing)望族。甘(gan)露寺集宗教(jiao)信仰、旅(lv)游(you)觀光、避(bi)暑休(xiu)閑于一(yi)體,是(shi)(shi)一(yi)個尚(shang)待開發的(de)旅(lv)游(you)點。
大帽(mao)山(shan)地勢(shi)險要,崇山(shan)峻嶺重(zhong)疊(die),解(jie)放戰爭期間(jian)是閩西南同安(an)工委武工隊的(de)(de)根(gen)據地。1949年(nian)解(jie)放同安(an)時解(jie)放軍先遣部隊就(jiu)是從十(shi)八(ba)彎奔襲(xi)同安(an)城的(de)(de)。這里農民(min)古(gu)(gu)時就(jiu)開辟茶(cha)(cha)(cha)園(yuan),以甘(gan)(gan)露寺命名(ming)的(de)(de)“甘(gan)(gan)露茶(cha)(cha)(cha)”,遠銷海(hai)內(nei)外。山(shan)上茶(cha)(cha)(cha)寮(liao)有對楹(ying)聯(lian)曰:“古(gu)(gu)宅十(shi)八(ba)彎盤上云中雁(yan),茶(cha)(cha)(cha)葉天(tian)下有甘(gan)(gan)露世(shi)上無”。寺前路口(kou)設有奉茶(cha)(cha)(cha)處。讓過(guo)路旅客品嘗(chang)。古(gu)(gu)宅的(de)(de)大蒜聞名(ming)中外,歷(li)千年(nian)而不(bu)衰(shuai),是出口(kou)創(chuang)匯(hui)的(de)(de)土特產。