錢坑鎮石龍寺(si)又(you)名石靈古剎(cha),又(you)被當地(di)人(ren)(ren)稱為“庵(an)”(當地(di)人(ren)(ren)的(de)潮汕家鄉音),位(wei)(wei)于(yu)(yu)揭西(xi)縣錢坑鎮錢西(xi)村(cun)仙徑(jing)山(shan)(shan)之望天獅山(shan)(shan)腰,坐東北(bei)向西(xi)南,左、右、后三(san)面環山(shan)(shan),處于(yu)(yu)“五龍朝主(zhu)”格局的(de)“主(zhu)”位(wei)(wei)。
沿寺(si)后石(shi)(shi)(shi)徑拾(shi)級而(er)上(shang),行(xing)十(shi)余米(mi)處,有一(yi)開闊地(di),周圍梨樹、紅(hong)柿等嶺南佳果(guo)漫(man)山遍野(ye),石(shi)(shi)(shi)林(lin)成(cheng)片,怪石(shi)(shi)(shi)嶙峋,形態(tai)各(ge)異,多彩(cai)多姿(zi),似(si)(si)猛獸、似(si)(si)飛禽、似(si)(si)美女(nv)、似(si)(si)壯漢,頑石(shi)(shi)(shi)竟生龍(long)氣,宛如人(ren)間(jian)仙(xian)境(jing)。沿石(shi)(shi)(shi)隙穿(chuan)行(xing)數(shu)步,有大(da)石(shi)(shi)(shi)攔路(lu),疑似(si)(si)無(wu)路(lu),側身(shen)穿(chuan)過石(shi)(shi)(shi)壁,卻又豁然開朗,別有一(yi)番(fan)天(tian)地(di),稱“疑無(wu)路(lu)”、“別有天(tian)”。沿石(shi)(shi)(shi)徑攀延而(er)上(shang)200余米(mi),可(ke)達半坡之“小西(xi)天(tian)”,但見(jian)叢林(lin)中隱一(yi)巨石(shi)(shi)(shi),高(gao)4米(mi),狀如伏盆,下有天(tian)然石(shi)(shi)(shi)屋,石(shi)(shi)(shi)壁平滑,可(ke)容二十(shi)多人(ren),內(nei)設祭壇,供奉彌勒佛。尤其是寺(si)地(di)下及寺(si)四周石(shi)(shi)(shi)塊層層疊疊,形成(cheng)無(wu)數(shu)的(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong),龍(long)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)通(tong)虎(hu)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong),十(shi)彎八曲(qu)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)相連(lian),從下邊(bian)的(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)門通(tong)過連(lian)接的(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)至(zhi)上(shang)邊(bian)的(de)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)口,全長約300米(mi),稱“石(shi)(shi)(shi)崆(kong)龍(long)”。洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)內(nei)夏涼、冬暖,是禪(chan)師靜(jing)坐、默(mo)念(nian)修(xiu)行(xing)和游(you)(you)人(ren)游(you)(you)覽(lan)避(bi)暑(shu)的(de)佳地(di)。相傳洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)中有一(yi)“琴蛇(she)”和“千年龍(long)龜”,游(you)(you)客(ke)于石(shi)(shi)(shi)上(shang)擊(ji)掌(zhang),可(ke)聞蛤聲(sheng)齊鳴,故(gu)稱“蛤坑”,使人(ren)有神秘莫測之感。如今,在寺(si)前湖邊(bian),仍可(ke)見(jian)龜蛇(she)化石(shi)(shi)(shi)。
寺(si)(si)建于(yu)古(gu)代,經多次(ci)修(xiu)建,現(xian)可稽考的(de)一(yi)次(ci)是清雍(yong)正(zheng)九年(nian)(nian)(1731);一(yi)次(ci)是1930年(nian)(nian)。《中國大百科全(quan)書(shu)·潮(chao)汕百科全(quan)書(shu)》、《潮(chao)汕文物志(zhi)》、《潮(chao)州府志(zhi)·揭陽縣正(zheng)續(xu)志(zhi)》、《揭西縣志(zhi)》、《揭西文史(shi)》等多部史(shi)書(shu)對此(ci)名勝古(gu)跡(ji)都有記載,歷(li)史(shi)悠久,寺(si)(si)院古(gu)樸,奇石磷峋(xun),林木(mu)茂密,已有300年(nian)(nian)的(de)歷(li)史(shi)。 [1]
《潮流(liu)府志·揭(jie)陽縣正續志》記載(zai):“仙(xian)徑山距(ju)城西(xi)百里,霖田都(dou)脈連(lian)三(san)山,狀如覆(fu)盆,相傳昔有(you)(you)(you)仙(xian)人(ren)(ren)過此(ci),故名。山南有(you)(you)(you)石(shi)卓立如屏,色黯(an)則霽,開(kai)朗則雨(yu),鄉人(ren)(ren)以卜陰晴(qing)屢(lv)驗。山麓有(you)(you)(you)竇(dou),僅容(rong)人(ren)(ren)行(xing),行(xing)數(shu)十步,寬(kuan)敞豁(huo)目,深不能竟(jing)其(qi)底(di),下(xia)有(you)(you)(you)流(liu)泉”。
石(shi)靈(ling)(ling)(ling)寺(si)(si)底(di)部和四周的石(shi)又(you)(you)高大又(you)(you)神奇,因而(er)此寺(si)(si)也(ye)稱“石(shi)靈(ling)(ling)(ling)巖”。有(you)“石(shi)竟生靈(ling)(ling)(ling)氣”、“石(shi)靈(ling)(ling)(ling)巖是仙(xian)人常(chang)到(dao)之(zhi)地”等的傳說。
寺后石頭上(shang)有“仙(xian)足跡”,傳說是古(gu)時仙(xian)人常在石靈巖來往遺(yi)留下(xia)的腳印。
2009年進行全面規劃石(shi)龍寺(si)(si)景區,占地約100多畝,主要建設項(xiang)目有大(da)(da)雄寶殿、觀(guan)音閣(ge)、藥師(shi)殿、藏經(jing)閣(ge)、鐘鼓樓、滴(di)水觀(guan)音、放生池(chi)、僧(seng)舍以及道路、停車(che)場(chang)等。錢西石(shi)靈寺(si)(si)的新大(da)(da)雄寶殿奠基儀式2010年在10月在揭陽市揭西縣錢坑鎮舉行。
寺內塑關(guan)帝(di)、周倉等神像。按“八(ba)卦”方位(wei)植樹(shu)8棵,人稱“八(ba)卦樹(shu)”。“文(wen)革”被(bei)伐7棵,現(xian)僅存1棵,古樹(shu)貴州方長滿青(qing)苔,云南方則呈一(yi)片黃土。