概況
南(nan)通(tong)(tong)(tong)天(tian)寧(ning)(ning)禪寺(si)始建(jian)于唐朝,是(shi)南(nan)通(tong)(tong)(tong)年代久,規(gui)模較(jiao)大而(er)又(you)保存(cun)較(jiao)好的(de)一座佛教寺(si)院。它是(shi)南(nan)通(tong)(tong)(tong)江(jiang)海(hai)地區現存(cun)的(de)三座唐寺(si)(狼山廣(guang)教寺(si),如皋定慧(hui)寺(si),南(nan)通(tong)(tong)(tong)天(tian)寧(ning)(ning)寺(si))之(zhi)一,明《萬(wan)歷志》、清《康(kang)熙(xi)志》皆(jie)作(zuo)這(zhe)樣(yang)的(de)記(ji)載:“唐咸通(tong)(tong)(tong)中僧藻煥堂(tang)建(jian)。舊(jiu)名(ming)光孝(xiao)天(tian)順元年僧法恩(en)(en)奏改(gai)今(jin)名(ming)。”《乾隆志》作(zuo)了這(zhe)樣(yang)的(de)補充“寺(si)有光孝(xiao)塔五級(ji),后(hou)有毗盧閣。宋咸淳中(約990年—1003年)君人(ren)(ren)(ren)(ren)管(guan)(guan)某建(jian),僧法恩(en)(en)募捐。”這(zhe)里(li)記(ji)載“天(tian)順元年法恩(en)(en)奏改(gai)今(jin)名(ming)”有誤,應為(wei)(wei)善慧(hui)。‘管(guan)(guan)某’,難以評考,僧人(ren)(ren)(ren)(ren)曾稱為(wei)(wei)“管(guan)(guan)公,管(guan)(guan)婆”,并(bing)在金(jin)剛(gang)殿供奉其(qi)像。在咸淳年間(jian),有宋度宗兵部尚書、郡人(ren)(ren)(ren)(ren)(一說石港人(ren)(ren)(ren)(ren))印應雷舍(she)其(qi)宅入寺(si)(一記(ji)管(guan)(guan)某舍(she)宅入寺(si))。天(tian)寧(ning)(ning)寺(si)原(yuan)系(xi)奉圣寺(si),居州治之(zhi)西(xi)政和間(jian)(公元1111年—1118年)遷天(tian)寧(ning)(ning)禪寺(si)并(bing)入報恩(en)(en)光孝(xiao),后(hou)以天(tian)寧(ning)(ning)禪寺(si)通(tong)(tong)(tong)稱。
歷史
對(dui)于(yu)這座(zuo)唐(tang)寺(si)(si)(si)的建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)年(nian)(nian)(nian),說法(fa)頗混亂,有(you)(you)說“明宣德年(nian)(nian)(nian)問重建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)。”有(you)(you)說“始建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)于(yu)北宋。”史書(shu)碑文(wen)均(jun)(jun)記(ji)(ji)載唐(tang)咸通或貞觀(guan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)間(jian)(jian)。考察這一(yi)歷(li)史時期(qi),正(zheng)是(shi)(shi)唐(tang)王(wang)朝(chao)經濟文(wen)化發展(zhan)的鼎(ding)盛,佛教在江海地區的空前發展(zhan)是(shi)(shi)自(zi)然的事.雖然寺(si)(si)(si)院的規模(mo)遠不似后來的面貌,也(ye)應(ying)承認(ren)它是(shi)(shi)寺(si)(si)(si)廟(miao)始建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)的最初(chu)歷(li)史。在漫(man)長薩歷(li)史年(nian)(nian)(nian)代,天(tian)寧(ning)(ning)寺(si)(si)(si)有(you)(you)過(guo)兩次(ci)興(xing)(xing)盛的記(ji)(ji)錄:一(yi)為(wei)(wei)北宋政和年(nian)(nian)(nian)間(jian)(jian),經過(guo)并寺(si)(si)(si)營建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),使(shi)其:“殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)堂(tang)(tang)宏麗,樓(lou)(lou)閣穹(qiong)崇,實一(yi)州(zhou)之(zhi)偉(wei)觀(guan)”“至咸淳(chun)間(jian)(jian),復新之(zhi),比(bi)舊則(ze)加焉(yan)”其時,宋徽(hui)宗趙佶御筆(bi)題寫(xie)“大(da)雄之(zhi)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)”,更為(wei)(wei)其推波(bo)助潤(run),但到明宣德初(chu),天(tian)寧(ning)(ning)寺(si)(si)(si)已是(shi)(shi):‘僅存大(da)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),山(shan)門,風雨不支,像護剝落(luo)。”后在宣德、正(zheng)統,天(tian)順、萬歷(li)、天(tian)啟年(nian)(nian)(nian)間(jian)(jian)均(jun)(jun)有(you)(you)興(xing)(xing)修(xiu)之(zhi)舉,天(tian)寧(ning)(ning)寺(si)(si)(si)迎來第二個中興(xing)(xing)期(qi)。重振之(zhi)功首推通州(zhou)守御陳謙(qian),他(ta)捐資請(qing)來杭州(zhou)凈緣禪(chan)師(shi)主(zhu)(zhu)持修(xiu)建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)事宜,前后四年(nian)(nian)(nian)整修(xiu)了光(guang)孝塔牙大(da)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、山(shan)門,他(ta)還(huan)主(zhu)(zhu)持興(xing)(xing)建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)了園通殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),輪藏殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),醇(chun)零樓(lou)(lou),其徒善意又于(yu)正(zheng)紀十四年(nian)(nian)(nian),天(tian)順二年(nian)(nian)(nian)兩次(ci)興(xing)(xing)工(gong)修(xiu)舊補缺(que),鑄造銅(tong)像。而且(qie)敕賜寺(si)(si)(si)名(ming)。成為(wei)(wei)演習(xi)禮儀(yi)之(zhi)所。”《萬歷(li)通州(zhou)志》還(huan)提到寺(si)(si)(si)有(you)(you)火神(shen)廟(miao),祠山(shan)廟(miao),毗(pi)(pi)盧(lu)閣等建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)筑。此外,惠(hui)儒等僧(seng)人還(huan)重建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)了禪(chan)堂(tang)(tang),地藏和彌(mi)勒殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)等,當時通州(zhou)名(ming)士沈明臣(chen),盧(lu)純學,吳熠、湯有(you)(you)光(guang)題下“偶翼毗(pi)(pi)盧(lu)閣,遙(yao)堪俯(fu)大(da)璃”等佳句,詠頌(song)天(tian)寧(ning)(ning)寺(si)(si)(si)的一(yi)時盛況(kuang)。天(tian)寧(ning)(ning)寺(si)(si)(si)東(dong)部近代枝學校(xiao)改建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)為(wei)(wei)校(xiao)舍,西(xi)側的火星殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、水神(shen)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(禹王(wang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)),祖師(shi)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、大(da)意堂(tang)(tang)為(wei)(wei)晚清或民(min)國時所建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)。