斗(dou)山(shan)(shan)禪寺(si)座落于(yu)無錫市錫山(shan)(shan)區錫北鎮八士(shi)(shi)斗(dou)山(shan)(shan)，東臨斗(dou)山(shan)(shan)茶園路(lu)，西依八文(wen)(wen)(wen)公(gong)路(lu)，北靠(kao)江(jiang)陰文(wen)(wen)(wen)林(lin)，無錫公(gong)交(jiao)(jiao)17路(lu)（龍(long)潭浜(bang)），公(gong)交(jiao)(jiao)八士(shi)(shi)738路(lu)以及無錫至江(jiang)陰文(wen)(wen)(wen)林(lin)、祝塘、周莊等客(ke)車直抵(di)此地，地理(li)位(wei)置優越，交(jiao)(jiao)通十分便捷。斗(dou)山(shan)(shan)禪寺(si)是無錫地區繼靈山(shan)(shan)勝景后第二大佛教(jiao)(jiao)場所，是江(jiang)蘇(su)省(sheng)(sheng)斗(dou)山(shan)(shan)農業生態園和(he)錫北地區較大的(de)標志性看點。2009被評為“江(jiang)蘇(su)省(sheng)(sheng)模范宗教(jiao)(jiao)活動場所”、2011被列入“江(jiang)蘇(su)省(sheng)(sheng)百家(jia)寺(si)院(yuan)”之(zhi)一，斗(dou)山(shan)(shan)禪寺(si)憑借得天獨厚(hou)的(de)自(zi)然風光(guang)和(he)深厚(hou)的(de)文(wen)(wen)(wen)化底蘊，傳承了千年古剎的(de)歷史(shi)。
斗山(shan)(shan)(shan)上的寺廟(miao)(miao)(miao)(miao)始建于公(gong)元前226年(nian)至(zhi)公(gong)元23年(nian)的西(xi)(xi)漢時期，初(chu)始名為“三青寺”。公(gong)元50年(nian)改名“斗山(shan)(shan)(shan)寺”（江陰(yin)文(wen)(wen)林鄉志上稱(cheng)“盤(pan)石(shi)寺”）。據文(wen)(wen)獻記載：“宋端(duan)平三年(nian)（公(gong)元1236年(nian)）建盤(pan)石(shi)寺，明(ming)洪武年(nian)間(jian)重(zhong)建。”共有(you)寺宇計5048間(jian)，規模宏大，西(xi)(xi)南(nan)至(zhi)江陰(yin)文(wen)(wen)林山(shan)(shan)(shan)莊（古名徐莊），廟(miao)(miao)(miao)(miao)門（正(zheng)山(shan)(shan)(shan)門）在張涇徐巷村的“山(shan)(shan)(shan)門周家”。兩地相(xiang)距三公(gong)里(li)有(you)余，“其間(jian)有(you)石(shi)道相(xiang)通”。十(shi)里(li)斗山(shan)(shan)(shan)上有(you)名的就(jiu)(jiu)是民間(jian)山(shan)(shan)(shan)歌哼唱的“惠山(shan)(shan)(shan)高，錫(xi)山(shan)(shan)(shan)低，斗山(shan)(shan)(shan)十(shi)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)正(zheng)朝(chao)西(xi)(xi)。”這十(shi)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)就(jiu)(jiu)是指的斗山(shan)(shan)(shan)上建的十(shi)座廟(miao)(miao)(miao)(miao)（俗(su)稱(cheng)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)），即玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、觀音(yin)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、龍王(wang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)（白(bai)龍廟(miao)(miao)(miao)(miao)）、小大老爺殿(dian)(dian)(dian)（又(you)名張巡廟(miao)(miao)(miao)(miao)）、山(shan)(shan)(shan)觀殿(dian)(dian)(dian)（三官(guan)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)）、關帝殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、新殿(dian)(dian)(dian)（原(yuan)斗山(shan)(shan)(shan)寺）、舜柯殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、土地廟(miao)(miao)(miao)(miao)（堂(tang)）、大王(wang)廟(miao)(miao)(miao)(miao)（又(you)為王(wang)靈官(guan)廟(miao)(miao)(miao)(miao)）。
斗山周圍還建有水墩庵(an)(an)、羅家(jia)庵(an)(an)、牛堂庵(an)(an)、毛庵(an)(an)、圣堂庵(an)(an)、成福庵(an)(an)及文(wen)林盤石庵(an)(an)等(deng)。如此規(gui)模宏大，香火鼎盛(sheng)的(de)佛門勝地，卻都在清(qing)(qing)末（1863年(nian)）太(tai)(tai)平(ping)軍起義東征時毀(hui)(hui)于(yu)戰火。1861年(nian)斗山寺(si)毀(hui)(hui)于(yu)戰火后，建造(zao)了“玉皇(huang)(huang)殿”，法不(bu)孤起，遇(yu)緣則興。感(gan)應道交，不(bu)可思(si)議(yi)。據史料記載：1863年(nian)太(tai)(tai)平(ping)軍東征，潮王黃子(zi)漋(long)接替(ti)黃和錦鎮守無錫(xi)。十一月初二日(ri)，清(qing)(qing)軍“李鶴章(zhang)部圍攻無錫(xi)，激(ji)戰三(san)晝夜(ye)，城(cheng)破，斬黃子(zi)漋(long)父子(zi)，太(tai)(tai)平(ping)軍撤。清(qing)(qing)軍入城(cheng)燒殺(sha)，西南北三(san)門一片瓦(wa)礫(li)”。處(chu)(chu)于(yu)無錫(xi)北門的(de)斗山寺(si)廟及附近村莊(zhuang)，遭到空前浩(hao)劫，毀(hui)(hui)于(yu)兵燹(xian)。幸存的(de)玉皇(huang)(huang)殿、關(guan)帝殿、小大老爺殿也(ye)是(shi)到處(chu)(chu)頹垣斷壁，殘破不(bu)全(quan)。
就在斗(dou)(dou)山(shan)寺(si)百(bai)廢待興，無(wu)依無(wu)靠之(zhi)時，一九(jiu)(jiu)九(jiu)(jiu)七年秋，上(shang)法下(xia)海法師應邀來到斗(dou)(dou)山(shan)，慈(ci)愛眾生之(zhi)大悲(bei)心(xin)自(zi)然(ran)流露，發(fa)大誓(shi)愿，作獅(shi)子吼，依然(ran)接受了斗(dou)(dou)山(shan)寺(si)。從此(ci)，開始了常人無(wu)法想象(xiang)的創建(jian)道場之(zhi)艱難歷程。斗(dou)(dou)山(shan)重建(jian)廟宇，命(ming)名(ming)為斗(dou)(dou)山(shan)寺(si)。
自古廟宇多磨難(nan)，斗山(shan)禪寺無(wu)幸免(mian)，慈愛(ai)眾生法師到，歷經苦難(nan)建(jian)寺院！
給生活一把琴 
