錢坑鎮石龍寺又名石靈古(gu)剎,又被當(dang)地人(ren)稱為(wei)“庵”(當(dang)地人(ren)的潮(chao)汕家鄉(xiang)音),位于(yu)揭西縣錢坑鎮錢西村仙徑山之(zhi)望(wang)天獅山腰,坐東北向西南(nan),左(zuo)、右、后三面(mian)環山,處于(yu)“五龍朝主”格局的“主”位。
沿(yan)寺后石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)徑拾級而上,行十余(yu)米處,有(you)(you)(you)一(yi)(yi)開(kai)闊地(di),周圍梨樹、紅柿等嶺南佳(jia)(jia)果漫山遍野,石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)林成(cheng)片,怪石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)嶙峋,形態各異,多彩多姿,似(si)猛獸、似(si)飛(fei)禽(qin)、似(si)美女、似(si)壯漢(han),頑石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)竟生(sheng)龍(long)氣,宛如(ru)人(ren)間(jian)仙(xian)境。沿(yan)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)隙(xi)穿行數步(bu),有(you)(you)(you)大石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)攔路(lu),疑(yi)似(si)無(wu)(wu)(wu)路(lu),側身穿過石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)壁,卻又豁然(ran)開(kai)朗,別有(you)(you)(you)一(yi)(yi)番(fan)天(tian)地(di),稱(cheng)(cheng)“疑(yi)無(wu)(wu)(wu)路(lu)”、“別有(you)(you)(you)天(tian)”。沿(yan)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)徑攀(pan)延而上200余(yu)米,可(ke)達半坡(po)之“小(xiao)西(xi)天(tian)”,但見(jian)叢(cong)林中隱一(yi)(yi)巨石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi),高4米,狀(zhuang)如(ru)伏盆,下(xia)(xia)有(you)(you)(you)天(tian)然(ran)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)屋,石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)壁平(ping)滑,可(ke)容(rong)二十多人(ren),內(nei)設祭壇,供奉彌(mi)勒(le)佛。尤其是(shi)寺地(di)下(xia)(xia)及寺四周石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)塊(kuai)層層疊(die)疊(die),形成(cheng)無(wu)(wu)(wu)數的(de)(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong),龍(long)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)通(tong)虎(hu)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong),十彎八曲(qu)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)相連(lian),從下(xia)(xia)邊的(de)(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)門通(tong)過連(lian)接的(de)(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)至上邊的(de)(de)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)口,全長約300米,稱(cheng)(cheng)“石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)崆龍(long)”。洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)內(nei)夏涼、冬暖,是(shi)禪(chan)師靜坐、默念(nian)修(xiu)行和游人(ren)游覽避(bi)暑(shu)的(de)(de)佳(jia)(jia)地(di)。相傳洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)中有(you)(you)(you)一(yi)(yi)“琴蛇”和“千年龍(long)龜(gui)”,游客(ke)于石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)上擊(ji)掌(zhang),可(ke)聞蛤聲齊鳴,故稱(cheng)(cheng)“蛤坑”,使人(ren)有(you)(you)(you)神(shen)秘莫(mo)測之感。如(ru)今(jin),在寺前湖(hu)邊,仍可(ke)見(jian)龜(gui)蛇化石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)。
寺(si)建于(yu)古(gu)代,經多次(ci)修建,現(xian)可稽考的一(yi)次(ci)是清雍正九年(1731);一(yi)次(ci)是1930年。《中(zhong)國大(da)百科全書(shu)·潮(chao)汕百科全書(shu)》、《潮(chao)汕文物志(zhi)》、《潮(chao)州府志(zhi)·揭(jie)(jie)陽(yang)縣正續志(zhi)》、《揭(jie)(jie)西(xi)縣志(zhi)》、《揭(jie)(jie)西(xi)文史(shi)(shi)》等多部史(shi)(shi)書(shu)對此名勝(sheng)古(gu)跡(ji)都有(you)(you)記載,歷史(shi)(shi)悠久,寺(si)院古(gu)樸,奇(qi)石磷峋,林木茂密,已有(you)(you)300年的歷史(shi)(shi)。 [1]
《潮流(liu)(liu)府志(zhi)·揭陽(yang)縣正續志(zhi)》記載:“仙(xian)徑山距城西百里(li),霖田都脈連三山,狀如覆盆,相(xiang)傳(chuan)昔有仙(xian)人(ren)(ren)過此,故名。山南有石(shi)卓立如屏,色(se)黯則霽,開朗則雨,鄉(xiang)人(ren)(ren)以卜陰(yin)晴(qing)屢驗。山麓有竇,僅容(rong)人(ren)(ren)行,行數十步,寬敞豁(huo)目(mu),深(shen)不能竟其(qi)底(di),下有流(liu)(liu)泉”。
石(shi)靈寺底部和四周(zhou)的(de)石(shi)又(you)高大又(you)神奇,因而此(ci)寺也(ye)稱“石(shi)靈巖”。有“石(shi)竟生(sheng)靈氣”、“石(shi)靈巖是仙人常到(dao)之地”等(deng)的(de)傳(chuan)說。
寺后石(shi)頭上有“仙足跡”,傳說是古時仙人常在石(shi)靈(ling)巖來往遺留下的腳印。
2009年進行全面規劃石龍寺景區,占地約(yue)100多(duo)畝,主要建設項目有(you)大(da)雄寶殿、觀音閣(ge)、藥師殿、藏(zang)經閣(ge)、鐘(zhong)鼓樓、滴水觀音、放生池(chi)、僧舍以及道路、停車場等。錢西石靈寺的新(xin)大(da)雄寶殿奠基儀式2010年在10月在揭(jie)陽市揭(jie)西縣(xian)錢坑鎮(zhen)舉行。
寺內(nei)塑關(guan)帝、周倉等神像(xiang)。按“八(ba)卦”方位植樹8棵,人稱“八(ba)卦樹”。“文革”被伐7棵,現(xian)僅(jin)存1棵,古樹貴(gui)州方長(chang)滿青(qing)苔(tai),云南方則(ze)呈一片黃土。