臺(tai)山(shan)廣(guang)海(hai)城東(dong)象(xiang)(xiang)山(shan)之(zhi)(zhi)靈湖(hu)寺(si)(si)(si),建(jian)于(yu)(yu)(yu)南(nan)北朝(chao)時期,寺(si)(si)(si)依象(xiang)(xiang)山(shan)玄武(wu)(wu),呈瑞象(xiang)(xiang),左(zuo)有(you)蓮(lian)花山(shan)(0青(qing)龍),右(you)有(you)虎頭山(shan)(0白虎),前有(you)沙堤﹡大(da)小(xiao)(xiao)二排斷中為小(xiao)(xiao)象(xiang)(xiang)(做朱雀案山(shan)供養(yang))自(zi)(zi)然成(cheng)湖(hu),故名(ming)靈湖(hu)。源于(yu)(yu)(yu)梁(liang)武(wu)(wu)帝天監元(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(公(gong)元(yuan)502年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))天竺(zhu)(印度(du))高(gao)僧智藥(yao)三(san)藏法(fa)(fa)師(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi);帶兩棵菩提(ti)圣(sheng)樹(shu)(shu)(shu),浮海(hai)來華,因(yin)臺(tai)風受阻,于(yu)(yu)(yu)廣(guang)海(hai)靈湖(hu)登陸(lu),建(jian)阿蘭(lan)若居之(zhi)(zhi)。并在伽藍(lan)內植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)下中國(guo)第一棵菩提(ti)樹(shu)(shu)(shu)。智藥(yao)三(san)藏后前往廣(guang)州光(guang)孝寺(si)(si)(si)于(yu)(yu)(yu)戒壇上(shang)(shang)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)下第二棵菩提(ti)樹(shu)(shu)(shu),并立碑預(yu)言“170年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)后將有(you)一肉身(shen)菩提(ti)于(yu)(yu)(yu)這棵樹(shu)(shu)(shu)下,開演(yan)無(wu)上(shang)(shang)微(wei)妙法(fa)(fa),傳佛(fo)心印,度(du)無(wu)量眾生(sheng)”,之(zhi)(zhi)后前往韶關(guan)曲(qu)江(jiang)曹(cao)溪寶(bao)林(lin)山(shan)開山(shan)創建(jian)南(nan)華寺(si)(si)(si),并再次(ci)立碑預(yu)言“176年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)后將有(you)一肉身(shen)菩薩來此(ci):演(yan)無(wu)上(shang)(shang)法(fa)(fa)寶(bao)得(de)(de)道者如林(lin)”。唐(tang)龍塑元(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)辛酉禪宗六祖惠能祖師(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)自(zi)(zi)湖(hu)北黃(huang)梅(mei)五(wu)祖處得(de)(de)法(fa)(fa)南(nan)歸(gui)。丙子(zi)二月初(chu)八(ba)在廣(guang)州光(guang)孝寺(si)(si)(si)智藥(yao)三(san)藏法(fa)(fa)師(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)手植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)菩提(ti)樹(shu)(shu)(shu)下剃度(du)受戒。后前往韶關(guan)曹(cao)溪寶(bao)林(lin)山(shan)中興南(nan)華寺(si)(si)(si)并弘(hong)揚頓悟(wu)法(fa)(fa)門。因(yin)智藥(yao)三(san)藏法(fa)(fa)師(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)兩次(ci)有(you)關(guan)六祖的預(yu)言得(de)(de)到(dao)印證,遂成(cheng)千古頌,故名(ming)靈湖(hu)寺(si)(si)(si)。留下勝因(yin),香火益盛,寺(si)(si)(si)宇塑像(xiang),堂皇古雅,蓮(lian)燈長明,向有(you)吉祥福地之(zhi)(zhi)稱。廣(guang)海(hai)城東(dong)蓮(lian)花洋上(shang)(shang)大(da)象(xiang)(xiang)馱小(xiao)(xiao)象(xiang)(xiang),代(dai)代(dai)出和尚,早(zao)弛圣(sheng)域(yu)之(zhi)(zhi)譽,歷史(shi)悠(you)久,寺(si)(si)(si)之(zhi)(zhi)名(ming)號益顯。年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)久代(dai)湮,殿(dian)閣災余,金色消沉。靈湖(hu)寺(si)(si)(si)初(chu)毀于(yu)(yu)(yu)宋末(mo),元(yuan)至(zhi)正(zheng)8年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1348年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))重(zhong)(zhong)建(jian),明洪武(wu)(wu)30年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1397年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))重(zhong)(zhong)修,清咸豐6年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1856年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))至(zhi)同(tong)治二年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1863年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))土客(ke)紛爭,寺(si)(si)(si)宇被(bei)焚(fen),僅焦土。光(guang)緒10年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1884年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))廣(guang)海(hai)奇石彭(peng)鳳桐志慕云林(lin)主(zhu)持重(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)。峻工后善行(xing)圓滿,整座嶺(ling)南(nan)建(jian)筑,布局宏偉壯觀,即易名(ming)“靈湖(hu)古寺(si)(si)(si)”。1937年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)寺(si)(si)(si)又遭洗劫。1947年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)住持繼慈法(fa)(fa)師(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)得(de)(de)0檀越。奇石建(jian)筑商余沛捐香資略(lve)加維修。后由于(yu)(yu)(yu)發生(sheng)震動,歷史(shi)沿革(ge),世法(fa)(fa)無(wu)常(chang),年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)代(dai)變遷名(ming)寺(si)(si)(si)淪為療(liao)養(yang)院(yuan)及駐軍牧(mu)馬之(zhi)(zhi)場地。
際茲國運興隆,宗教(jiao)(jiao)政策(ce)落實,靈(ling)湖(hu)寺(si)(si)(si)教(jiao)(jiao)產歸還(huan)佛(fo)教(jiao)(jiao)界管理。2006年7月11日原(yuan)廣(guang)(guang)州(zhou)大(da)(da)佛(fo)寺(si)(si)(si)常(chang)住僧人(ren)釋仁偉(wei)為還(huan)乙酉仲廈夢中(zhong)愿(yuan),經(jing)臺山(shan)(shan)市博物(wu)館領(ling)導(dao)介紹(shao)來(lai)寺(si)(si)(si),主持恢復,重興祖師(shi)(shi)道場。古寺(si)(si)(si)滿目瘡痍(yi),師(shi)(shi)嘆:“禪林(lin)凋零,梵剎之(zhi)凄清”。恒蓄興建宏愿(yuan),趁政策(ce)之(zhi)修明,善因夙愿(yuan),法(fa)緣(yuan)(yuan)廣(guang)(guang)洽(qia),心殷圣域重光(guang)。承蒙廣(guang)(guang)東(dong)省江門(men)市政協(xie)、臺山(shan)(shan)市政府(fu)、廣(guang)(guang)海(hai)鎮各(ge)級領(ling)導(dao)支持及海(hai)內(nei)外眾善信(xin)(xin)之(zhi)扶持,智(zhi)藥三藏祖師(shi)(shi)常(chang)寂(ji)光(guang)中(zhong)加持。涓吉(ji)丙(bing)戌年觀音(yin)出家吉(ji)日動土修復靈(ling)湖(hu)寺(si)(si)(si)兜率(lv)內(nei)院(yuan),同(tong)年季(ji)冬26日竣工(gong),歷時數月,工(gong)程費用龐(pang)大(da)(da)。緣(yuan)(yuan)荷嶺南善信(xin)(xin)居士動員廣(guang)(guang)州(zhou)、深圳(zhen)、中(zhong)山(shan)(shan)、佛(fo)山(shan)(shan)、江門(men)等地(di)信(xin)(xin)眾發菩提心、植大(da)(da)福(fu)田捐資建寺(si)(si)(si),數額尤巨,并得(de)江門(men)大(da)(da)檀(tan)越居士助籌香(xiang)資迎請玉(yu)佛(fo)及裝飾殿(dian)(dian)堂用品。靈(ling)湖(hu)有(you)緣(yuan)(yuan)善信(xin)(xin)聯合番(fan)禺(yu)大(da)(da)石眾善信(xin)(xin)為靈(ling)湖(hu)寺(si)(si)(si)做大(da)(da)須(xu)彌山(shan)(shan)。大(da)(da)放光(guang)明。隨(sui)后東(dong)莞廣(guang)(guang)海(hai)同(tong)鄉會同(tong)仁發心捐殿(dian)(dian)外銅香(xiang)爐鋪砌180平方米(mi)花崗巖石板于寺(si)(si)(si)前廣(guang)(guang)場。各(ge)大(da)(da)善人(ren)崇圣同(tong)懷(huai),慷慨豪舉協(xie)應,共(gong)修德(de)(de)業(ye),事功告(gao)成,衹園再現,梵宇琳(lin)宮(gong)飾成;佛(fo)光(guang)普(pu)照,金洲寶(bao)界通明;海(hai)潮音(yin)起,磬唄響徹(che)云宵;蓮云法(fa)雨,福(fu)澤人(ren)天無(wu)涯。為褒揚德(de)(de)事,贊譽(yu)善人(ren),乃備(bei)勒石。光(guang)昭功德(de)(de)。