蘇(su)州定(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)寺(si)(si)(si)(si)位(wei)于古(gu)(gu)城(cheng)蘇(su)州鳳凰街(jie)定(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)寺(si)(si)(si)(si)巷(xiang),環境幽靜(jing),自古(gu)(gu)以來名人(ren)(ren)薈萃,有(you)著(zhu)深厚的(de)(de)(de)(de)文化底蘊,大雄寶(bao)殿前(qian)兩棵古(gu)(gu)老(lao)的(de)(de)(de)(de)銀杏樹默記著(zhu)定(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)寺(si)(si)(si)(si)的(de)(de)(de)(de)蒼桑(sang)變遷。世紀之交,定(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)寺(si)(si)(si)(si)又翻開了新(xin)的(de)(de)(de)(de)一(yi)頁(ye),在(zai)政府(fu)和(he)(he)佛(fo)教界各方(fang)(fang)人(ren)(ren)士的(de)(de)(de)(de)大力(li)支持下,以嶄新(xin)的(de)(de)(de)(de)面貌展現(xian)于世人(ren)(ren)面前(qian)。今天的(de)(de)(de)(de)定(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)寺(si)(si)(si)(si),西依鳳凰街(jie),車水(shui)馬(ma)龍(long),一(yi)派現(xian)代氣(qi)息;東(dong)鄰蘇(su)公弄,曲徑幽深,唐宋(song)古(gu)(gu)韻猶存。山門前(qian)的(de)(de)(de)(de)定(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)寺(si)(si)(si)(si)巷(xiang),巷(xiang)因寺(si)(si)(si)(si)而得名。巷(xiang)內的(de)(de)(de)(de)人(ren)(ren)們每日伴著(zhu)定(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)寺(si)(si)(si)(si)的(de)(de)(de)(de)晨鐘暮鼓,作息起(qi)居,雖身(shen)處鬧市,卻是難(nan)得的(de)(de)(de)(de)怡然(ran)恬靜(jing)。在(zai)這方(fang)(fang)水(shui)土,定(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)寺(si)(si)(si)(si)猶如一(yi)位(wei)禪僧,帶著(zhu)唐宋(song)遺風(feng),向我們走來,走進我們的(de)(de)(de)(de)生活和(he)(he)心靈,帶給我們平和(he)(he)與安詳。
定慧寺現存清代山門、天王殿、大殿等建筑,坐北朝南。大殿為單檐歇山造,面闊三間19米,進深18米,高約12米。四周檐柱均為抹角石柱,檐下布列象鼻昂楓拱十字牌科。梁架扁作,結構完整。殿前古銀杏兩株并峙,樹齡200余年,夏日濃蔭如幄。1991年冬,大殿曾進行修繕。
走近(jin)定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)寺(si)(si),便可深深感(gan)觸(chu)到(dao)姑蘇歷史脈搏的跳動;品(pin)味定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)寺(si)(si),方可知蘇州不(bu)愧是(shi)一座歷史文化名城。元(yuan)朝時(shi)期,定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)禪(chan)院再(zai)次被(bei)毀(hui)壞,明(ming)洪武(wu)年(nian)間(1368-1398)重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu),明(ming)正統時(shi)(1436-1449),蘇州郡守況鐘重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)了(le)大(da)(da)殿,并改定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)禪(chan)院?quot;定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)禪(chan)寺(si)(si)"。清康(kang)熙年(nian)間(1662-1722),里人(ren)唐堯仁出(chu)資(zi)重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)了(le)大(da)(da)雄寶殿、觀音(yin)殿及彌勒(le)殿。道光元(yuan)年(nian)(1821)里人(ren)胡珽(ting)再(zai)次重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)。然到(dao)了(le)咸(xian)豐(feng)時(shi)期,內(nei)憂不(bu)止,外(wai)患(huan)頻(pin)仍,定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)禪(chan)寺(si)(si)再(zai)一次毀(hui)于戰(zhan)火(huo)。同(tong)治三年(nian)(1864),本(ben)修(xiu)法師募資(zi)重(zhong)(zhong)建,民國十五年(nian)(1926)僧靈馨募資(zi)重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu),定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)寺(si)(si)才得以遺存至(zhi)今。但后經戰(zhan)亂,定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)寺(si)(si)又遭劫難(nan),大(da)(da)部份建筑(zhu)毀(hui)于一旦,僅存山門(men)、天王殿和大(da)(da)雄寶殿,且均已殘破(po)不(bu)堪。1958年(nian)定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)慧(hui)(hui)(hui)寺(si)(si)被(bei)蘇州市第七塑料廠(chang)占用為廠(chang)房至(zhi)今,唐宋(song)遺風已蕩然無存,古寺(si)(si)建筑(zhu)也受到(dao)不(bu)同(tong)程度(du)的破(po)壞。
唐咸通(tong)間(jian)為盛楚所創般若院子院,五代(dai)吳越錢氏時仍屬羅(luo)漢院,北(bei)宋雍熙間(jian)稱西方院,大(da)中(zhong)(zhong)祥符間(jian)賜(si)額定慧(hui)禪寺(si),才(cai)與壽寧萬歲禪院(雙塔寺(si))分(fen)為兩寺(si)。元(yuan)末毀于(yu)兵火。明洪(hong)武中(zhong)(zhong)僧(seng)澤(ze)藏山、景新、惠澤(ze),永樂中(zhong)(zhong)僧(seng)凈因,先后重建。宣(xuan)德九(jiu)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1434年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))得知府況(kuang)鐘(zhong)捐(juan)助,正統二(er)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1437年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))重建大(da)雄寶殿(dian)。清康熙初(chu)漸形傾圮,十(shi)一年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1672年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))僧(seng)大(da)休駐錫,里人唐堯仁(ren)捐(juan)資重建觀音殿(dian),重修大(da)殿(dian)、彌勒殿(dian)。道光間(jian)殿(dian)宇失修,十(shi)六(liu)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1836年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))邑人顧沅(yuan)等集資修葺。咸豐十(shi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1860年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))至(zhi)同治二(er)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1863年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)),因戰爭被毀。同治三年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)僧(seng)本(ben)修師徒相繼募修地藏、天王各殿(dian)。1926年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)僧(seng)靈馨募修。