錢坑(keng)鎮(zhen)石龍寺又(you)(you)名(ming)石靈古剎,又(you)(you)被當(dang)地人稱(cheng)為(wei)“庵”(當(dang)地人的潮汕家鄉音),位(wei)于揭西(xi)縣錢坑(keng)鎮(zhen)錢西(xi)村仙徑(jing)山之望(wang)天獅山腰,坐東(dong)北向(xiang)西(xi)南(nan),左、右、后三面環(huan)山,處于“五(wu)龍朝(chao)主”格局的“主”位(wei)。
沿(yan)寺(si)(si)后(hou)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)徑拾(shi)級(ji)而上(shang),行(xing)十(shi)余米處,有(you)(you)(you)一(yi)開闊地,周(zhou)圍梨樹、紅柿(shi)等(deng)嶺南佳果漫山遍野,石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)林成片,怪石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)嶙峋,形態各異,多(duo)彩(cai)多(duo)姿,似(si)猛獸、似(si)飛禽、似(si)美女、似(si)壯漢,頑石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)竟生(sheng)龍(long)(long)(long)氣,宛(wan)如人間仙境(jing)。沿(yan)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)隙(xi)穿(chuan)行(xing)數步,有(you)(you)(you)大石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)攔路,疑似(si)無(wu)路,側身(shen)穿(chuan)過石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)壁(bi),卻(que)又豁然(ran)開朗,別有(you)(you)(you)一(yi)番天(tian)地,稱(cheng)“疑無(wu)路”、“別有(you)(you)(you)天(tian)”。沿(yan)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)徑攀延而上(shang)200余米,可(ke)達(da)半坡之“小西天(tian)”,但(dan)見叢(cong)林中隱一(yi)巨石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi),高4米,狀如伏盆,下有(you)(you)(you)天(tian)然(ran)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)屋(wu),石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)壁(bi)平滑,可(ke)容二十(shi)多(duo)人,內設祭壇,供奉彌(mi)勒佛。尤(you)其是(shi)寺(si)(si)地下及寺(si)(si)四周(zhou)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)塊層(ceng)層(ceng)疊(die)疊(die),形成無(wu)數的(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)洞(dong)(dong),龍(long)(long)(long)洞(dong)(dong)通虎(hu)洞(dong)(dong),十(shi)彎八曲洞(dong)(dong)洞(dong)(dong)相(xiang)連,從下邊(bian)的(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)洞(dong)(dong)門通過連接的(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)洞(dong)(dong)至上(shang)邊(bian)的(de)洞(dong)(dong)口,全長約(yue)300米,稱(cheng)“石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)崆龍(long)(long)(long)”。洞(dong)(dong)內夏涼(liang)、冬(dong)暖,是(shi)禪(chan)師靜坐、默念修行(xing)和游(you)人游(you)覽(lan)避暑的(de)佳地。相(xiang)傳洞(dong)(dong)中有(you)(you)(you)一(yi)“琴蛇”和“千年龍(long)(long)(long)龜”,游(you)客于石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)上(shang)擊掌(zhang),可(ke)聞蛤聲齊鳴,故稱(cheng)“蛤坑”,使人有(you)(you)(you)神秘莫(mo)測之感。如今,在寺(si)(si)前湖(hu)邊(bian),仍可(ke)見龜蛇化石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)。
寺建于古(gu)代,經多次修建,現可稽考(kao)的一(yi)次是清(qing)雍正九年(1731);一(yi)次是1930年。《中國大百科全(quan)書(shu)·潮(chao)汕百科全(quan)書(shu)》、《潮(chao)汕文物(wu)志(zhi)》、《潮(chao)州府志(zhi)·揭陽縣(xian)(xian)正續志(zhi)》、《揭西(xi)縣(xian)(xian)志(zhi)》、《揭西(xi)文史(shi)(shi)(shi)》等(deng)多部史(shi)(shi)(shi)書(shu)對此(ci)名勝古(gu)跡都(dou)有(you)記載(zai),歷史(shi)(shi)(shi)悠久,寺院古(gu)樸,奇石磷峋,林(lin)木茂(mao)密(mi),已有(you)300年的歷史(shi)(shi)(shi)。 [1]
《潮流(liu)府志(zhi)·揭(jie)陽縣正續志(zhi)》記(ji)載(zai):“仙徑山(shan)(shan)距城西百里,霖田都脈連(lian)三山(shan)(shan),狀如覆盆(pen),相(xiang)傳昔有(you)仙人(ren)過此,故名。山(shan)(shan)南有(you)石卓立如屏(ping),色黯則霽,開(kai)朗則雨,鄉人(ren)以卜(bu)陰晴屢驗(yan)。山(shan)(shan)麓有(you)竇,僅容(rong)人(ren)行,行數十(shi)步,寬(kuan)敞豁(huo)目,深(shen)不能竟其底,下有(you)流(liu)泉(quan)”。
石(shi)靈(ling)寺底(di)部和四周的石(shi)又(you)高(gao)大又(you)神(shen)奇,因而(er)此寺也稱“石(shi)靈(ling)巖(yan)”。有“石(shi)竟生靈(ling)氣(qi)”、“石(shi)靈(ling)巖(yan)是仙人常到(dao)之地(di)”等的傳說。
寺后石(shi)頭(tou)上有“仙足(zu)跡(ji)”,傳說(shuo)是古時(shi)仙人常(chang)在(zai)石(shi)靈(ling)巖來往(wang)遺留下的腳印。
2009年進行(xing)全(quan)面規(gui)劃石(shi)龍(long)寺景區,占地約100多(duo)畝,主要(yao)建設項(xiang)目有(you)大雄寶殿、觀(guan)(guan)音閣(ge)、藥師殿、藏經閣(ge)、鐘鼓樓(lou)、滴水觀(guan)(guan)音、放生池(chi)、僧(seng)舍以及(ji)道路、停車場等。錢西石(shi)靈寺的(de)新大雄寶殿奠(dian)基儀式(shi)2010年在(zai)(zai)10月在(zai)(zai)揭(jie)陽(yang)市揭(jie)西縣(xian)錢坑(keng)鎮舉行(xing)。
寺(si)內塑關帝(di)、周倉等神(shen)像。按“八卦”方(fang)位植(zhi)樹(shu)8棵(ke),人稱(cheng)“八卦樹(shu)”。“文革”被伐7棵(ke),現僅存1棵(ke),古樹(shu)貴州方(fang)長滿青苔,云南方(fang)則呈一片黃土(tu)。