甘露禪(chan)寺位于大(da)帽山(shan)農場北面,觀音山(shan)之(zhi)南麓。觀音山(shan)海拔(ba)400多米,因(yin)西部陡峭處奇石(shi)狀若披紗的觀世音座,故名(ming)。
《同安縣志》載:“甘(gan)露(lu)(lu)禪寺(si)(si)(si)始建于(yu)唐時(shi)(shi)(shi),后廢。明末中(zhong)興祖師(shi)無疑和(he)(he)尚(shang)鳩資重修(xiu)(xiu)”。為(wei)二進(jin)三開間,天井(jing)加拜(bai)亭的(de)(de)宮(gong)殿式(shi)石木建筑。寺(si)(si)(si)中(zhong)原懸(xuan)有(you)宋末宰(zai)相陸秀(xiu)夫(fu)的(de)(de)魏體寺(si)(si)(si)額“甘(gan)露(lu)(lu)禪寺(si)(si)(si)”和(he)(he)明大(da)(da)(da)書(shu)法家張瑞圖(tu)的(de)(de)木刻(ke)楹(ying)聯(lian),惜已毀佚。寺(si)(si)(si)右(you)山坡有(you)無疑禪師(shi)的(de)(de)舍利塔,塔為(wei)圓(yuan)形蓮辮紋(wen)基座(zuo),為(wei)市級文保單(dan)位,前年修(xiu)(xiu)葺一(yi)新。周圍(wei)有(you)無疑和(he)(he)尚(shang)手植(zhi)的(de)(de)茶樹(shu)和(he)(he)榕樹(shu)。據傳甘(gan)露(lu)(lu)寺(si)(si)(si)修(xiu)(xiu)建時(shi)(shi)(shi)遍山松竹皆滴甘(gan)露(lu)(lu),故(gu)名。相傳古(gu)時(shi)(shi)(shi)原有(you)上下寺(si)(si)(si)九(jiu)十九(jiu)間,最盛時(shi)(shi)(shi)有(you)百名和(he)(he)尚(shang)。甘(gan)露(lu)(lu)寺(si)(si)(si)奉祀三世佛(fo)祖,兩旁為(wei)護法神。前殿為(wei)笑(xiao)口常(chang)開喜迎八方善信的(de)(de)彌勒菩薩。寺(si)(si)(si)內有(you)楹(ying)聯(lian)十多對,均(jun)系古(gu)今(jin)佳(jia)作,富有(you)哲理(li),書(shu)法精美(mei)。前殿柱聯(lian)為(wei)“碧嶺(ling)長流(liu)甘(gan)露(lu)(lu)水,慧心徹悟梵天鐘”。彌勒座(zuo)聯(lian)為(wei)“大(da)(da)(da)肚包容了(le)卻人(ren)間多少事,滿腔歡喜笑(xiao)開天下古(gu)今(jin)愁”。大(da)(da)(da)門(men)冠頭聯(lian)為(wei)“甘(gan)如佛(fo)果參(can)真(zhen)諦,露(lu)(lu)滴楊枝普大(da)(da)(da)千”。
這里群峰環(huan)抱、爭奇斗艷。北有(you)虎頭(tou)山(shan),東(dong)北有(you)大埔(pu)山(shan)、大帽山(shan)、寨仔山(shan)、鵝頭(tou)山(shan),東(dong)南有(you)白云(yun)飛山(shan)、金排寨山(shan)、蜂腰山(shan)。山(shan)上蒼松翠柏,鶯(ying)歌燕舞(wu)。寺(si)廟(miao)屹立于萬綠叢中,寺(si)前阡陌縱(zong)橫(heng),山(shan)下(xia)村莊(zhuang)錯(cuo)落(luo)有(you)致,炊煙縷縷,有(you)世外桃源(yuan)之味。清(qing)陳韜章有(you)《重游甘露寺(si)》詩(shi)云(yun):“為憶春(chun)初挹翠風,朝來乘興復登(deng)探(tan)。千層峭(qiao)壁螺炎簇,百尺飛泉練影涵。色帶秋棪云(yun)抹淡(dan),名傳古剎露垂甘。憑(ping)高極(ji)目情無限,落(luo)葉蕭(xiao)蕭(xiao)點碧(bi)潭”。周邊美境(jing)盡入詩(shi)中。
唐代肇(zhao)建的大帽(mao)山(shan)甘露寺,自古(gu)以來就是(shi)翔安區(qu)的名剎。但(dan)因地處偏(pian)僻山(shan)區(qu),交通不(bu)便(bian),人氣不(bu)旺,長(chang)期(qi)失修。開放改革(ge)以來,所屬五保(bao)各村才聯合(he)成立管委會,集(ji)資重修,再塑金身,古(gu)剎得以復興。
明(ming)末(mo)清(qing)(qing)初,無疑法師(shi)重興甘露(lu)(lu)寺(si)(si)。他因率徒清(qing)(qing)理同安、漳州屠城后的積尸而(er)善聲遠播,為避清(qing)(qing)兵追(zhui)殺(sha)而(er)避居大帽山(shan)甘露(lu)(lu)寺(si)(si),募資重修,并創(chuang)制“甘露(lu)(lu)茶”驅疫濟世(shi)。上世(shi)紀四十年代釋心清(qing)(qing)(現(xian)梅山(shan)寺(si)(si)老(lao)主持)曾(ceng)在甘露(lu)(lu)寺(si)(si)修持。
古(gu)寺周圍多古(gu)跡。有宋代北同安通往泉(quan)州的(de)(de)捷(jie)道“古(gu)宅十(shi)(shi)八彎(wan)”(宋景定元年鄭(zheng)公(gong)祥和僧妙謙(qian)所(suo)造,從新圩古(gu)宅后壁(bi)山(shan)到云中雁共(gong)十(shi)(shi)八個回頭彎(wan),故名。)十(shi)(shi)八彎(wan)古(gu)道上達南山(shan),下接(jie)遼(liao)野,可達豪嶺的(de)(de)漳泉(quan)古(gu)道(形成(cheng)于漢時)。這條古(gu)道對(dui)當時同安城的(de)(de)繁(fan)榮起了不可估(gu)量的(de)(de)作用。
后爐(lu)村的(de)大寮(liao)靈宮(gong)(gong)(gong)是臺(tai)(tai)灣眾多太子宮(gong)(gong)(gong)的(de)祖廟之一,幾(ji)年來有臺(tai)(tai)南(nan)善化(hua)普安(an)宮(gong)(gong)(gong),臺(tai)(tai)北士林無極殿,內湖區(qu)護(hu)安(an)宮(gong)(gong)(gong),嘉(jia)義奉行宮(gong)(gong)(gong)、圣(sheng)清(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong)(gong),南(nan)投天(tian)法宮(gong)(gong)(gong),臺(tai)(tai)中妙(miao)天(tian)宮(gong)(gong)(gong),高雄中圣(sheng)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)、王母宮(gong)(gong)(gong)、明月宮(gong)(gong)(gong),彰化(hua)社頭的(de)太元(yuan)宮(gong)(gong)(gong),樸(pu)子的(de)玉圣(sheng)宮(gong)(gong)(gong),新竹妙(miao)圣(sheng)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)、圣(sheng)道(dao)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)、明濟壇,苗栗縣(xian)慈(ci)龍宮(gong)(gong)(gong),桃園縣(xian)的(de)發清(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)等十(shi)幾(ji)所(suo)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)廟來謁祖請火。
大帽山廣袤十多(duo)里,傳(chuan)說神奇(qi)。相(xiang)傳(chuan)金排(pai)寨山是宋揚(yang)文廣所征服的(de)(de)(de)“閩(min)南十八(ba)洞”之(zhi)一。山上有(you)六角井,據說是揚(yang)文廣用(yong)金槍鑿成的(de)(de)(de)。井底巖石有(you)林希(xi)元之(zhi)篆刻(現(xian)已毀(hui))。白云飛山蜈蚣侖有(you)蘇(su)氏入(ru)閩(min)始祖蘇(su)益陵園,現(xian)為市級文保單位。山下(xia)金柄村為唐代由泉州入(ru)遷同(tong)安的(de)(de)(de)黃姓望族。甘露寺集宗教信仰(yang)、旅(lv)游觀光、避(bi)暑休閑于(yu)一體,是一個尚待(dai)開發的(de)(de)(de)旅(lv)游點。
大帽山(shan)地(di)勢險要,崇山(shan)峻嶺(ling)重疊,解放戰爭期間是閩西南同(tong)安工委武工隊(dui)的(de)(de)根(gen)據地(di)。1949年(nian)解放同(tong)安時(shi)(shi)解放軍先(xian)遣(qian)部隊(dui)就(jiu)是從(cong)十八(ba)彎(wan)(wan)奔襲同(tong)安城的(de)(de)。這(zhe)里農民(min)古(gu)時(shi)(shi)就(jiu)開(kai)辟茶(cha)園,以甘(gan)露(lu)(lu)寺命名的(de)(de)“甘(gan)露(lu)(lu)茶(cha)”,遠銷海內外(wai)。山(shan)上茶(cha)寮有(you)對(dui)楹聯曰:“古(gu)宅(zhai)十八(ba)彎(wan)(wan)盤上云中(zhong)雁(yan),茶(cha)葉天下有(you)甘(gan)露(lu)(lu)世(shi)上無(wu)”。寺前路口設有(you)奉茶(cha)處。讓過路旅客品嘗。古(gu)宅(zhai)的(de)(de)大蒜聞名中(zhong)外(wai),歷千年(nian)而不(bu)衰,是出(chu)口創匯的(de)(de)土特產。