臺(tai)山(shan)(shan)廣(guang)(guang)(guang)海城(cheng)東(dong)象(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)山(shan)(shan)之(zhi)(zhi)靈(ling)(ling)(ling)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)寺(si),建(jian)于(yu)南(nan)(nan)北朝時(shi)期,寺(si)依象(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)山(shan)(shan)玄武,呈瑞象(xiang)(xiang)(xiang),左有(you)蓮花山(shan)(shan)(0青龍(long)),右有(you)虎(hu)(hu)頭山(shan)(shan)(0白(bai)虎(hu)(hu)),前有(you)沙(sha)堤(di)﹡大(da)小二(er)排斷中(zhong)為(wei)小象(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(做朱(zhu)雀案山(shan)(shan)供養(yang))自然(ran)成湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu),故(gu)名(ming)靈(ling)(ling)(ling)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)。源于(yu)梁武帝天監元年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(公元502年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))天竺(印度)高僧智(zhi)藥三(san)藏(zang)法(fa)師(shi);帶兩棵菩(pu)(pu)(pu)提(ti)圣(sheng)(sheng)樹(shu)(shu)(shu),浮海來華(hua),因(yin)臺(tai)風(feng)受(shou)阻,于(yu)廣(guang)(guang)(guang)海靈(ling)(ling)(ling)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)登陸,建(jian)阿蘭若居之(zhi)(zhi)。并在(zai)伽藍內植下中(zhong)國第一棵菩(pu)(pu)(pu)提(ti)樹(shu)(shu)(shu)。智(zhi)藥三(san)藏(zang)后(hou)前往廣(guang)(guang)(guang)州(zhou)光(guang)孝寺(si)于(yu)戒壇(tan)上(shang)(shang)(shang)植下第二(er)棵菩(pu)(pu)(pu)提(ti)樹(shu)(shu)(shu),并立碑預言(yan)“170年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)后(hou)將有(you)一肉(rou)身(shen)菩(pu)(pu)(pu)提(ti)于(yu)這棵樹(shu)(shu)(shu)下,開(kai)演無上(shang)(shang)(shang)微妙法(fa),傳佛心印,度無量眾生”,之(zhi)(zhi)后(hou)前往韶關(guan)曲(qu)江(jiang)曹溪(xi)(xi)寶林(lin)山(shan)(shan)開(kai)山(shan)(shan)創(chuang)建(jian)南(nan)(nan)華(hua)寺(si),并再(zai)次(ci)立碑預言(yan)“176年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)后(hou)將有(you)一肉(rou)身(shen)菩(pu)(pu)(pu)薩(sa)來此:演無上(shang)(shang)(shang)法(fa)寶得道(dao)者如(ru)林(lin)”。唐龍(long)塑元年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)辛(xin)酉(you)禪宗六(liu)祖惠(hui)能祖師(shi)自湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)北黃(huang)梅五祖處得法(fa)南(nan)(nan)歸。丙(bing)子二(er)月(yue)初(chu)八在(zai)廣(guang)(guang)(guang)州(zhou)光(guang)孝寺(si)智(zhi)藥三(san)藏(zang)法(fa)師(shi)手植菩(pu)(pu)(pu)提(ti)樹(shu)(shu)(shu)下剃度受(shou)戒。后(hou)前往韶關(guan)曹溪(xi)(xi)寶林(lin)山(shan)(shan)中(zhong)興南(nan)(nan)華(hua)寺(si)并弘揚頓悟法(fa)門。因(yin)智(zhi)藥三(san)藏(zang)法(fa)師(shi)兩次(ci)有(you)關(guan)六(liu)祖的預言(yan)得到(dao)印證,遂成千古(gu)(gu)頌,故(gu)名(ming)靈(ling)(ling)(ling)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)寺(si)。留下勝因(yin),香火益(yi)(yi)盛,寺(si)宇塑像,堂皇古(gu)(gu)雅,蓮燈長明(ming),向有(you)吉祥福地(di)之(zhi)(zhi)稱。廣(guang)(guang)(guang)海城(cheng)東(dong)蓮花洋上(shang)(shang)(shang)大(da)象(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)馱(tuo)小象(xiang)(xiang)(xiang),代(dai)代(dai)出和尚(shang),早弛(chi)圣(sheng)(sheng)域之(zhi)(zhi)譽,歷(li)史(shi)悠(you)久,寺(si)之(zhi)(zhi)名(ming)號益(yi)(yi)顯。年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)久代(dai)湮,殿(dian)閣災余,金色消(xiao)沉。靈(ling)(ling)(ling)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)寺(si)初(chu)毀于(yu)宋末,元至正8年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1348年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))重(zhong)建(jian),明(ming)洪武30年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1397年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))重(zhong)修(xiu),清咸豐6年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1856年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))至同治(zhi)二(er)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1863年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))土客紛(fen)爭,寺(si)宇被焚,僅焦土。光(guang)緒10年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1884年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))廣(guang)(guang)(guang)海奇(qi)石彭(peng)鳳桐(tong)志(zhi)慕(mu)云林(lin)主(zhu)持重(zhong)建(jian)。峻(jun)工(gong)后(hou)善行圓(yuan)滿,整座嶺南(nan)(nan)建(jian)筑(zhu),布(bu)局宏偉(wei)壯觀,即易名(ming)“靈(ling)(ling)(ling)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)古(gu)(gu)寺(si)”。1937年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)寺(si)又遭洗劫。1947年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)住持繼慈法(fa)師(shi)得0檀(tan)越。奇(qi)石建(jian)筑(zhu)商余沛捐香資(zi)略(lve)加維修(xiu)。后(hou)由于(yu)發生震動(dong),歷(li)史(shi)沿革,世(shi)法(fa)無常,年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)代(dai)變遷名(ming)寺(si)淪為(wei)療養(yang)院及駐軍牧馬之(zhi)(zhi)場(chang)地(di)。
際茲國運興隆,宗(zong)教政(zheng)策落實,靈(ling)(ling)(ling)湖寺(si)(si)教產歸還(huan)(huan)佛教界管(guan)理。2006年(nian)7月(yue)11日原廣(guang)(guang)州大佛寺(si)(si)常住僧人(ren)(ren)釋仁(ren)偉為還(huan)(huan)乙(yi)酉(you)仲廈夢中愿(yuan),經臺山市(shi)博物館領(ling)導介紹(shao)來寺(si)(si),主持恢復,重興祖師道(dao)場(chang)。古寺(si)(si)滿(man)目瘡痍(yi),師嘆:“禪林凋(diao)零,梵(fan)剎(cha)之(zhi)凄清”。恒蓄興建(jian)宏愿(yuan),趁政(zheng)策之(zhi)修明(ming),善(shan)因(yin)夙愿(yuan),法(fa)緣廣(guang)(guang)洽(qia),心殷圣(sheng)域(yu)重光。承(cheng)蒙廣(guang)(guang)東省江(jiang)(jiang)門(men)市(shi)政(zheng)協、臺山市(shi)政(zheng)府、廣(guang)(guang)海(hai)鎮各級領(ling)導支持及海(hai)內外(wai)眾(zhong)善(shan)信(xin)之(zhi)扶持,智藥三藏(zang)祖師常寂光中加持。涓(juan)吉丙戌(xu)年(nian)觀音(yin)出(chu)家(jia)吉日動土修復靈(ling)(ling)(ling)湖寺(si)(si)兜率內院,同(tong)年(nian)季冬26日竣(jun)工,歷時數(shu)月(yue),工程費(fei)用(yong)龐大。緣荷嶺南善(shan)信(xin)居(ju)士(shi)動員廣(guang)(guang)州、深圳(zhen)、中山、佛山、江(jiang)(jiang)門(men)等地(di)信(xin)眾(zhong)發菩提心、植(zhi)大福田捐資建(jian)寺(si)(si),數(shu)額(e)尤巨(ju),并(bing)得江(jiang)(jiang)門(men)大檀(tan)越居(ju)士(shi)助籌香資迎(ying)請玉佛及裝(zhuang)飾殿堂用(yong)品。靈(ling)(ling)(ling)湖有緣善(shan)信(xin)聯合番(fan)禺(yu)大石眾(zhong)善(shan)信(xin)為靈(ling)(ling)(ling)湖寺(si)(si)做大須(xu)彌山。大放光明(ming)。隨(sui)后東莞廣(guang)(guang)海(hai)同(tong)鄉會同(tong)仁(ren)發心捐殿外(wai)銅香爐鋪砌180平方米花崗(gang)巖石板于寺(si)(si)前廣(guang)(guang)場(chang)。各大善(shan)人(ren)(ren)崇圣(sheng)同(tong)懷,慷慨豪舉協應,共修德(de)業(ye),事功告成,衹園再現,梵(fan)宇琳宮飾成;佛光普照(zhao),金洲寶界通明(ming);海(hai)潮音(yin)起(qi),磬唄響徹(che)云宵;蓮云法(fa)雨(yu),福澤人(ren)(ren)天(tian)無涯。為褒揚(yang)德(de)事,贊譽善(shan)人(ren)(ren),乃備勒石。光昭功德(de)。