宗善禪寺(si)又名(ming)羊山(shan)寺(si)坐落在羊山(shan)上,并(bing)非(fei)在岠(ju)山(shan)峰(feng)頂,羊山(shan)寺(si)和岠(ju)山(shan)上面(mian)的寺(si)廟(miao)沒有關系(岠(ju)山(shan)原名(ming)嶧陽山(shan)、葛(ge)嶧山(shan))地處江蘇邳州和睢(sui)寧交界(jie)處.海拔
213米,是蘇北除連云(yun)港(gang)云(yun)臺山(shan)之(zhi)外的最高峰。康熙年(nian)間(jian)進(jin)士(shi)季運隆所(suo)輯的下邳“八景(jing)”詩中(zhong)有這樣的描繪:峰獨秀聳長空。據(ju)史料記(ji)載,岠山(shan)古木蔽日,古時(shi),山(shan)巔有寨,寨內有“泰山(shan)行宮”。
2002年在政府支持下寺廟得以(yi)復建,現占地60畝寺內(nei)有三圣寶殿(dian)(dian)觀(guan)音殿(dian)(dian)地藏殿(dian)(dian)等(deng)殿(dian)(dian)閣(ge)、寺內(nei)松柏蒼(cang)翠、銀(yin)杏如蓋(gai),金殿(dian)(dian)巍峨,氣(qi)勢宏偉(wei)、莊(zhuang)重厲穆(mu),古(gu)(gu)色古(gu)(gu)香,乃一(yi)派(pai)古(gu)(gu)剎風光之圣地。寺院現在住持:圣祥(xiang)大(da)師。
公元193年(nian),東漢下(xia)邳(pi)國(guo)丹陽人笮融(rong)任下(xia)邳(pi)相時,就在下(xia)邳(pi)城西南二(er)里處的(de)羊山(shan)(shan)上建(jian)浮屠(tu)(tu)(tu)寺(si)。浮屠(tu)(tu)(tu)寺(si)上累金盤下(xia)為(wei)(wei)重(zhong)樓(lou),可(ke)容三千余人。浮屠(tu)(tu)(tu)寺(si)里建(jian)有(you)佛塔(ta)(ta)(ta),塔(ta)(ta)(ta)上有(you)九個(ge)金盤(九面銅鏡(jing)(jing)):八(ba)面朝(chao)八(ba)方,中間一面朝(chao)天,故名九鏡(jing)(jing)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)。磚石建(jian)造的(de)九鏡(jing)(jing)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)為(wei)(wei)八(ba)角九級(ji),各層均有(you)飛檐翹角,塔(ta)(ta)(ta)身內(nei)外有(you)佛雕480尊,飾(shi)以黃金錦衣。塔(ta)(ta)(ta)有(you)148級(ji)臺階,盤旋(xuan)而上至(zhi)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)頂(ding),為(wei)(wei)我國(guo)最早的(de)寶塔(ta)(ta)(ta).浮屠(tu)(tu)(tu)寺(si)還曾因(yin)九鏡(jing)(jing)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)而更名為(wei)(wei)“九鏡(jing)(jing)禪(chan)寺(si)”,至(zhi)唐代貞(zhen)觀年(nian)間,九鏡(jing)(jing)禪(chan)寺(si)更名為(wei)(wei)釋迦院,這便是羊山(shan)(shan)宗善禪(chan)寺(si)的(de)前身。九鏡(jing)(jing)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)不幸(xing)在宋、金戰火(huo)中毀沒。
明朝成(cheng)(cheng)化(hua)年(nian)間,宮中太(tai)監邳(pi)州(zhou)人(ren)徐瑛(ying),奉皇(huang)(huang)后(hou)懿旨,斥資重建釋迦院,成(cheng)(cheng)化(hua)七年(nian)(1471年(nian))5月(yue)落成(cheng)(cheng),憲宗(zong)皇(huang)(huang)帝(di)朱見深(shen)賜名為“宗(zong)善(shan)禪寺(si)(si)”。該(gai)(gai)(gai)寺(si)(si)規模宏大,由山(shan)下往上登十八盤(pan),山(shan)門(men)楹聯為“千(qian)秋(qiu)泗濱三(san)寶地,萬古羊山(shan)一禪林”。其殿(dian)(dian)(dian)堂,依山(shan)勢往上逐層為“金剛殿(dian)(dian)(dian)”、“接引殿(dian)(dian)(dian)”、“大慈殿(dian)(dian)(dian)”、“羅漢(han)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)”,后(hou)院有(you)兩(liang)層樓(lou)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)供(gong)奉“皇(huang)(huang)姑像(xiang)”和(he)“三(san)官”,東西(xi)兩(liang)側分別是“玄都殿(dian)(dian)(dian)”和(he)“閻(yan)羅殿(dian)(dian)(dian)”。該(gai)(gai)(gai)寺(si)(si)供(gong)奉的如來(lai)銅像(xiang),佛身鑄有(you)小(xiao)佛千(qian)尊(zun),佛像(xiang)重達4800斤。該(gai)(gai)(gai)寺(si)(si)在解放(fang)前極負勝(sheng)名,寺(si)(si)內有(you)常住僧近百人(ren),天天都有(you)善(shan)男信女及(ji)游客上千(qian)人(ren)出入。不幸(xing)的是,寺(si)(si)廟(miao)在抗(kang)戰期間曾遭日軍(jun)焚壞;文(wen)化(hua)革命期間,寺(si)(si)僧被逐(最后(hou)一位(wei)僧人(ren)法名釋海潮,于(yu)1970年(nian)去(qu)逝),寺(si)(si)產(chan)也(ye)被毀壞殆盡,僅(jin)存(cun)“宗(zong)善(shan)寺(si)(si)”匾額一塊。