甘露(lu)禪寺位(wei)于(yu)大(da)帽山(shan)農場(chang)北面,觀音(yin)山(shan)之(zhi)南麓。觀音(yin)山(shan)海拔400多米,因西部陡峭處(chu)奇(qi)石狀若披(pi)紗的觀世音(yin)座,故名。
《同安縣志》載:“甘(gan)(gan)露(lu)禪寺(si)始建(jian)(jian)于唐(tang)時,后廢。明(ming)末(mo)中(zhong)興(xing)祖師無疑(yi)和(he)尚鳩資重修”。為二進三開(kai)間,天井加拜亭的(de)(de)(de)宮殿式石(shi)木建(jian)(jian)筑。寺(si)中(zhong)原懸有(you)(you)(you)(you)宋末(mo)宰(zai)相陸秀夫的(de)(de)(de)魏體寺(si)額“甘(gan)(gan)露(lu)禪寺(si)”和(he)明(ming)大書法家張瑞(rui)圖的(de)(de)(de)木刻楹(ying)聯(lian),惜已毀佚。寺(si)右(you)山坡有(you)(you)(you)(you)無疑(yi)禪師的(de)(de)(de)舍利塔,塔為圓形蓮辮紋基座(zuo),為市(shi)級文保單位,前(qian)年(nian)修葺(qi)一新。周圍(wei)有(you)(you)(you)(you)無疑(yi)和(he)尚手植的(de)(de)(de)茶樹和(he)榕樹。據(ju)傳甘(gan)(gan)露(lu)寺(si)修建(jian)(jian)時遍山松(song)竹皆(jie)滴(di)甘(gan)(gan)露(lu),故名(ming)。相傳古(gu)時原有(you)(you)(you)(you)上下寺(si)九十(shi)九間,最(zui)盛時有(you)(you)(you)(you)百名(ming)和(he)尚。甘(gan)(gan)露(lu)寺(si)奉祀三世佛祖,兩旁為護(hu)法神。前(qian)殿為笑口常開(kai)喜迎八方善信的(de)(de)(de)彌(mi)勒菩薩。寺(si)內有(you)(you)(you)(you)楹(ying)聯(lian)十(shi)多對,均系古(gu)今佳作(zuo),富有(you)(you)(you)(you)哲(zhe)理,書法精美。前(qian)殿柱聯(lian)為“碧嶺(ling)長流甘(gan)(gan)露(lu)水,慧心徹悟梵(fan)天鐘”。彌(mi)勒座(zuo)聯(lian)為“大肚包容了卻(que)人(ren)間多少事,滿腔(qiang)歡(huan)喜笑開(kai)天下古(gu)今愁”。大門冠頭聯(lian)為“甘(gan)(gan)如佛果參真諦,露(lu)滴(di)楊枝普大千”。
這里群峰環抱、爭奇(qi)斗艷。北(bei)有虎頭山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan),東北(bei)有大(da)埔山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)、大(da)帽(mao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)、寨仔山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)、鵝頭山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan),東南有白(bai)云飛山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)、金(jin)排寨山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)、蜂(feng)腰山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)。山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)上蒼松翠柏(bo),鶯歌燕(yan)舞。寺(si)廟屹立于萬綠叢中,寺(si)前阡陌縱橫,山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)下村莊錯落有致,炊煙縷縷,有世外桃源之味(wei)。清陳韜章有《重游(you)甘(gan)露(lu)寺(si)》詩(shi)云:“為憶(yi)春初挹翠風,朝來(lai)乘(cheng)興復登探。千(qian)層(ceng)峭壁螺炎簇(cu),百尺(chi)飛泉練(lian)影涵。色帶秋棪云抹淡,名傳古剎露(lu)垂甘(gan)。憑高極(ji)目(mu)情(qing)無限,落葉蕭(xiao)蕭(xiao)點碧潭”。周(zhou)邊美境盡入(ru)詩(shi)中。
唐代肇建的(de)大帽山甘露寺,自古以來就是翔安(an)區的(de)名剎(cha)(cha)。但因地(di)處偏(pian)僻山區,交(jiao)通不便,人氣(qi)不旺,長(chang)期失修。開放改革以來,所(suo)屬五(wu)保各村才聯合(he)成立(li)管委(wei)會(hui),集資重(zhong)修,再塑金身,古剎(cha)(cha)得以復興(xing)。
明末清(qing)初(chu),無(wu)疑法師重(zhong)興甘(gan)露寺。他因(yin)率(lv)徒清(qing)理同安、漳(zhang)州屠城(cheng)后的積尸(shi)而善聲遠(yuan)播,為避清(qing)兵追殺(sha)而避居大帽(mao)山(shan)甘(gan)露寺,募資重(zhong)修(xiu),并創(chuang)制“甘(gan)露茶(cha)”驅疫濟世。上世紀四十年代釋心清(qing)(現梅山(shan)寺老主持)曾在甘(gan)露寺修(xiu)持。
古(gu)(gu)寺周(zhou)圍多(duo)古(gu)(gu)跡。有宋代北(bei)同安(an)通往泉州(zhou)的捷道“古(gu)(gu)宅(zhai)十(shi)(shi)八彎”(宋景定元(yuan)年鄭公祥(xiang)和(he)僧妙謙所造,從新圩古(gu)(gu)宅(zhai)后壁(bi)山到云中雁共十(shi)(shi)八個回頭彎,故名。)十(shi)(shi)八彎古(gu)(gu)道上達(da)南山,下接遼野,可達(da)豪(hao)嶺的漳泉古(gu)(gu)道(形成于漢時)。這條(tiao)古(gu)(gu)道對當時同安(an)城的繁榮起了(le)不可估量的作(zuo)用。
后爐村的大寮靈(ling)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)是臺(tai)灣眾多太(tai)子宮(gong)(gong)(gong)的祖廟之一,幾年來有臺(tai)南善化普安宮(gong)(gong)(gong),臺(tai)北士林(lin)無極殿,內(nei)湖區護安宮(gong)(gong)(gong),嘉義奉(feng)行宮(gong)(gong)(gong)、圣清宮(gong)(gong)(gong),南投天(tian)法宮(gong)(gong)(gong),臺(tai)中妙天(tian)宮(gong)(gong)(gong),高雄中圣宮(gong)(gong)(gong)、王母(mu)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)、明(ming)月宮(gong)(gong)(gong),彰(zhang)化社頭的太(tai)元宮(gong)(gong)(gong),樸子的玉(yu)圣宮(gong)(gong)(gong),新竹(zhu)妙圣宮(gong)(gong)(gong)、圣道宮(gong)(gong)(gong)、明(ming)濟壇,苗栗縣慈龍宮(gong)(gong)(gong),桃(tao)園縣的發清宮(gong)(gong)(gong)等十(shi)幾所(suo)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)廟來謁祖請火。
大帽(mao)山(shan)廣袤十多里(li),傳(chuan)(chuan)說神奇。相(xiang)傳(chuan)(chuan)金(jin)排寨山(shan)是宋揚(yang)文廣所征服的“閩南十八洞”之一。山(shan)上有六角井(jing),據說是揚(yang)文廣用金(jin)槍鑿成的。井(jing)底巖石有林希元(yuan)之篆刻(現已毀(hui))。白(bai)云飛(fei)山(shan)蜈蚣侖有蘇氏入閩始祖蘇益陵園,現為市級文保(bao)單位。山(shan)下金(jin)柄村為唐代由泉州入遷同安的黃姓望族(zu)。甘露(lu)寺集宗教(jiao)信仰、旅(lv)游觀光、避暑休閑于一體(ti),是一個尚待(dai)開發的旅(lv)游點(dian)。
大(da)帽山地(di)勢(shi)險要(yao),崇山峻嶺重(zhong)疊,解放(fang)戰(zhan)爭期間是(shi)(shi)閩西南同安(an)工委武工隊的(de)根據地(di)。1949年(nian)解放(fang)同安(an)時解放(fang)軍先遣部隊就是(shi)(shi)從十(shi)八彎(wan)奔襲同安(an)城(cheng)的(de)。這里農民古時就開辟(pi)茶(cha)(cha)園,以甘露寺(si)命名(ming)(ming)的(de)“甘露茶(cha)(cha)”,遠銷海內外。山上茶(cha)(cha)寮有對楹聯(lian)曰:“古宅十(shi)八彎(wan)盤上云中(zhong)雁,茶(cha)(cha)葉(xie)天下有甘露世上無”。寺(si)前路口設有奉茶(cha)(cha)處(chu)。讓(rang)過(guo)路旅客品嘗。古宅的(de)大(da)蒜聞名(ming)(ming)中(zhong)外,歷千年(nian)而不衰,是(shi)(shi)出(chu)口創匯的(de)土特產。