棲真(zhen)寺始建(jian)時(shi)(shi)間(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),以往(wang)屢有爭(zheng)議。經縣(xian)志(zhi)、文(wen)物(wu)部門多年反(fan)復論證,確定于五(wu)代后(hou)周廣順年間(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(951—953)。縣(xian)文(wen)物(wu)館(guan)和市文(wen)物(wu)處于1984年對棲真(zhen)寺遺址調查時(shi)(shi),在寺旁稻田中,發現明英宗天順壬午(1462)十月《重建(jian)塔志(zhi)碑(bei)》,碑(bei)文(wen)曰:“鳳林棲真(zhen)寺建(jian)自(zi)周廣順年間(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),以石琢(zhuo)五(wu)佛塔于放生池旁,塔成而寺不利,遂壞之(zhi)。”從而糾正了清.乾隆《平陽縣(xian)志(zhi)》“宋嘉(jia)定間(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),僧思(si)齊建(jian)”和民國《平陽縣(xian)志(zhi)》“按大日寺,塔磚文(wen)即有棲真(zhen)寺,疑(yi)非始自(zi)嘉(jia)定,或(huo)嘉(jia)佑(you)之(zhi)誤歟!”推(tui)測(ce)的錯(cuo)誤。
棲真寺(si)全(quan)盛時期,禪(chan)林(lin)占(zhan)地(di)上千(qian)畝(包括香火田(tian)和山(shan)場)。寺(si)院建(jian)筑主次相依,檐(yan)楹相摩,高低(di)錯落,層層遞升。前(qian)有橫鐫(juan)“南雁佛(fo)國(guo)”的(de)泥金匾額,形神兼備的(de)如來七塔,一(yi)泓清澈的(de)錦鯉(li)圣池,十米多高的(de)云松(song)屹立于門(men)庭一(yi)隅。山(shan)門(men)、天王殿(dian)、大雄寶殿(dian)、藏經閣(ge)、方丈樓、觀音閣(ge)、三圣殿(dian)、羅漢殿(dian)、千(qian)佛(fo)殿(dian)、禪(chan)房等十退殿(dian)堂沿中(zhong)軸線排列。東西兩側,除相互對稱(cheng)的(de)鐘樓、鼓樓、凈房、禪(chan)房、齋(zhai)房外,另有地(di)藏王殿(dian)、祖師殿(dian)等廊廡配殿(dian)毗連。其梵容(rong)之宏(hong)大,不遜(xun)于寧(ning)波(bo)天童寺(si)。
棲(qi)真寺參悟(wu)臨濟宗義,大(da)興(xing)臨濟宗風,禪味(wei)盎然(ran)十足。僧伽釋子謹(jin)遵佛(fo)(fo)制,每日晨(chen)鐘暮鼓,禮誦(song)經典,普(pu)渡蒼(cang)群,庇(bi)佑生(sheng)靈。寺院由此(ci)蜚聲八方,羅洋山也成(cheng)了名副(fu)其(qi)實的佛(fo)(fo)教(jiao)朝拜圣地。閩(min)浙一帶善男信(xin)女、游人香客(ke)、居仕信(xin)眾長途跋涉,慕名沓來,客(ke)潮如(ru)織如(ru)蟻、人流摩肩接(jie)踵、法徒輻湊云集之景象,時(shi)時(shi)皆可遇(yu)見(jian)。
五(wu)(wu)佛(fo)(fo)塔(ta)(ta)位于棲(qi)真寺(si)前(qian)。據《重建塔(ta)(ta)志碑》,五(wu)(wu)佛(fo)(fo)塔(ta)(ta)亦(yi)始建于后周廣順(shun)年間。五(wu)(wu)佛(fo)(fo)塔(ta)(ta)正對大(da)殿的(de)(de)(de)六尊佛(fo)(fo)像。按那佛(fo)(fo)像的(de)(de)(de)高度,慈佛(fo)(fo)垂目處(chu)(chu),亦(yi)正是(shi)(shi)這四座殘(can)存留下(xia)的(de)(de)(de)佛(fo)(fo)塔(ta)(ta),成(cheng)了佛(fo)(fo)眼中的(de)(de)(de)佛(fo)(fo)塔(ta)(ta)。據記載,五(wu)(wu)佛(fo)(fo)塔(ta)(ta)原位于棲(qi)真寺(si)的(de)(de)(de)放生(sheng)(sheng)池旁。民國(guo)時期,佛(fo)(fo)塔(ta)(ta)臺坎塌陷,五(wu)(wu)座佛(fo)(fo)塔(ta)(ta)皆(jie)翻到(dao)坎下(xia),村民將其部分(fen)完(wan)整結構(gou)收集并重新拼裝(zhuang)成(cheng)四座,往上(shang)(shang)遷移至現(xian)在的(de)(de)(de)地方。而現(xian)在的(de)(de)(de)棲(qi)真寺(si),也(ye)是(shi)(shi)20世(shi)紀90年重建的(de)(de)(de),寺(si)址也(ye)非(fei)原來(lai)所在。這還真是(shi)(shi)緣(yuan)分(fen),一(yi)邊(bian)是(shi)(shi)歷經風霜滿身傷痕來(lai)到(dao)此處(chu)(chu)的(de)(de)(de)佛(fo)(fo)塔(ta)(ta),另(ling)一(yi)邊(bian)是(shi)(shi)古寺(si)歷經幾(ji)番劫后廢墟上(shang)(shang)的(de)(de)(de)新生(sheng)(sheng)。
五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)佛(fo)(fo)(fo)塔(ta)又(you)有五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)如(ru)(ru)(ru)(ru)來(lai)(lai)(lai)塔(ta)之俗(su)稱。所(suo)(suo)謂五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)佛(fo)(fo)(fo),有金剛(gang)界(jie)(jie)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)佛(fo)(fo)(fo)與(yu)胎藏界(jie)(jie)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)佛(fo)(fo)(fo)之分。據考證,棲(qi)真(zhen)寺五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)佛(fo)(fo)(fo)塔(ta)之五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)佛(fo)(fo)(fo)為(wei)(wei)金剛(gang)界(jie)(jie)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)佛(fo)(fo)(fo),根(gen)據佛(fo)(fo)(fo)教(jiao)密宗教(jiao)義而設,以(yi)(yi)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)佛(fo)(fo)(fo)配五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)方(fang),即以(yi)(yi)毗(pi)盧遮(zhe)那(nei)佛(fo)(fo)(fo)為(wei)(wei)首的五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)尊佛(fo)(fo)(fo)分別闡釋佛(fo)(fo)(fo)的功德:中央毗(pi)盧遮(zhe)那(nei)佛(fo)(fo)(fo)(廣(guang)博身(shen)(shen)如(ru)(ru)(ru)(ru)來(lai)(lai)(lai),又(you)曰(yue)大日(ri)如(ru)(ru)(ru)(ru)來(lai)(lai)(lai)),東方(fang)阿眾佛(fo)(fo)(fo)(妙色身(shen)(shen)如(ru)(ru)(ru)(ru)來(lai)(lai)(lai)),南方(fang)寶生佛(fo)(fo)(fo)(寶勝如(ru)(ru)(ru)(ru)來(lai)(lai)(lai)),西方(fang)阿彌(mi)陀佛(fo)(fo)(fo)(甘露王如(ru)(ru)(ru)(ru)來(lai)(lai)(lai)),北方(fang)釋迦佛(fo)(fo)(fo)(離怖畏如(ru)(ru)(ru)(ru)來(lai)(lai)(lai)、又(you)曰(yue)北方(fang)不空(kong)成(cheng)(cheng)就佛(fo)(fo)(fo))。大日(ri)如(ru)(ru)(ru)(ru)來(lai)(lai)(lai)為(wei)(wei)法界(jie)(jie)禮性智(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)所(suo)(suo)成(cheng)(cheng),阿眾為(wei)(wei)大圓鏡智(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)所(suo)(suo)成(cheng)(cheng),寶生為(wei)(wei)平等(deng)性智(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)所(suo)(suo)成(cheng)(cheng),阿彌(mi)陀佛(fo)(fo)(fo)為(wei)(wei)妙觀察智(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)所(suo)(suo)成(cheng)(cheng),不空(kong)成(cheng)(cheng)就為(wei)(wei)成(cheng)(cheng)所(suo)(suo)作智(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)所(suo)(suo)成(cheng)(cheng),故云金剛(gang)界(jie)(jie)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)智(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)佛(fo)(fo)(fo),亦稱五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)智(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)如(ru)(ru)(ru)(ru)來(lai)(lai)(lai)、五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)智(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)佛(fo)(fo)(fo)、五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)方(fang)佛(fo)(fo)(fo)、五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)圣,或稱五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)禪定佛(fo)(fo)(fo)。