錢(qian)坑鎮石(shi)龍寺又名石(shi)靈(ling)古剎,又被當(dang)地人稱為“庵(an)”(當(dang)地人的潮汕家鄉音(yin)),位于(yu)揭(jie)西縣錢(qian)坑鎮錢(qian)西村仙徑山(shan)之望天獅山(shan)腰(yao),坐東北(bei)向(xiang)西南(nan),左、右、后三(san)面環山(shan),處于(yu)“五(wu)龍朝主(zhu)”格局(ju)的“主(zhu)”位。
沿(yan)寺(si)后石(shi)(shi)(shi)徑拾級而上(shang),行十(shi)余米(mi)(mi)處,有(you)一開(kai)闊地(di),周(zhou)圍(wei)梨樹、紅柿等嶺南佳果漫山(shan)遍野,石(shi)(shi)(shi)林成片,怪(guai)石(shi)(shi)(shi)嶙峋,形態各異,多(duo)(duo)(duo)彩多(duo)(duo)(duo)姿,似猛獸、似飛禽、似美女、似壯漢,頑石(shi)(shi)(shi)竟生(sheng)龍氣(qi),宛如人間仙境。沿(yan)石(shi)(shi)(shi)隙穿行數步,有(you)大石(shi)(shi)(shi)攔路(lu)(lu),疑似無路(lu)(lu),側身穿過石(shi)(shi)(shi)壁,卻(que)又豁(huo)然開(kai)朗(lang),別(bie)有(you)一番天(tian)(tian)地(di),稱“疑無路(lu)(lu)”、“別(bie)有(you)天(tian)(tian)”。沿(yan)石(shi)(shi)(shi)徑攀(pan)延而上(shang)200余米(mi)(mi),可達半坡之“小西天(tian)(tian)”,但見叢林中(zhong)隱一巨(ju)石(shi)(shi)(shi),高4米(mi)(mi),狀如伏盆(pen),下有(you)天(tian)(tian)然石(shi)(shi)(shi)屋,石(shi)(shi)(shi)壁平滑,可容(rong)二十(shi)多(duo)(duo)(duo)人,內(nei)設祭(ji)壇,供奉彌勒佛。尤(you)其(qi)是寺(si)地(di)下及寺(si)四(si)周(zhou)石(shi)(shi)(shi)塊層層疊(die)(die)疊(die)(die),形成無數的(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong),龍洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)通(tong)虎洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong),十(shi)彎八曲洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)相連,從下邊的(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)門(men)通(tong)過連接的(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)至上(shang)邊的(de)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)口,全長約300米(mi)(mi),稱“石(shi)(shi)(shi)崆龍”。洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)內(nei)夏涼、冬暖,是禪(chan)師靜坐(zuo)、默(mo)念修行和游人游覽避暑的(de)佳地(di)。相傳(chuan)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)中(zhong)有(you)一“琴蛇”和“千(qian)年(nian)龍龜”,游客于石(shi)(shi)(shi)上(shang)擊掌(zhang),可聞蛤(ha)聲齊鳴(ming),故稱“蛤(ha)坑”,使人有(you)神秘(mi)莫測之感(gan)。如今,在寺(si)前湖邊,仍可見龜蛇化石(shi)(shi)(shi)。
寺建(jian)于古(gu)(gu)代(dai),經(jing)多次修建(jian),現可稽考的一(yi)次是(shi)清雍正(zheng)九年(1731);一(yi)次是(shi)1930年。《中國大(da)百科全(quan)書·潮汕百科全(quan)書》、《潮汕文(wen)物(wu)志》、《潮州府志·揭陽縣正(zheng)續志》、《揭西縣志》、《揭西文(wen)史(shi)》等多部(bu)史(shi)書對(dui)此名(ming)勝古(gu)(gu)跡都有記(ji)載,歷史(shi)悠久,寺院古(gu)(gu)樸,奇石(shi)磷(lin)峋,林木茂(mao)密,已有300年的歷史(shi)。 [1]
《潮(chao)流(liu)府志·揭陽縣正續志》記載:“仙徑(jing)山(shan)(shan)距城西百里,霖田(tian)都脈連三山(shan)(shan),狀(zhuang)如覆盆,相(xiang)傳昔有(you)仙人過此(ci),故名。山(shan)(shan)南有(you)石(shi)卓立如屏(ping),色黯則霽,開朗則雨,鄉人以(yi)卜(bu)陰晴屢(lv)驗。山(shan)(shan)麓(lu)有(you)竇,僅容人行(xing),行(xing)數十步,寬敞豁(huo)目,深不(bu)能(neng)竟其底,下(xia)有(you)流(liu)泉(quan)”。
石靈寺底部和四周的石又(you)高大又(you)神奇(qi),因而此寺也稱(cheng)“石靈巖”。有“石竟(jing)生(sheng)靈氣(qi)”、“石靈巖是仙人常到之地(di)”等的傳說。
寺后石(shi)頭上(shang)有“仙足跡”,傳說是(shi)古時仙人(ren)常在(zai)石(shi)靈巖來(lai)往遺留下的腳印。
2009年(nian)進行全面規(gui)劃石(shi)龍寺景區,占地(di)約100多(duo)畝,主要建設項目有大雄(xiong)寶殿(dian)、觀音閣、藥師殿(dian)、藏經閣、鐘鼓樓、滴水(shui)觀音、放生池、僧(seng)舍(she)以及道(dao)路、停(ting)車(che)場等。錢(qian)西石(shi)靈寺的新大雄(xiong)寶殿(dian)奠基儀式2010年(nian)在10月在揭陽市揭西縣錢(qian)坑鎮舉(ju)行。
寺內塑(su)關(guan)帝(di)、周(zhou)倉等(deng)神像。按(an)“八卦”方位植樹8棵,人稱“八卦樹”。“文(wen)革”被伐7棵,現僅存1棵,古樹貴州方長滿青苔(tai),云南(nan)方則(ze)呈(cheng)一(yi)片黃土。