臺山(shan)(shan)(shan)廣(guang)(guang)海(hai)(hai)城(cheng)東象(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)山(shan)(shan)(shan)之靈(ling)(ling)(ling)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)寺(si)(si),建(jian)(jian)于(yu)(yu)南(nan)(nan)北朝時期,寺(si)(si)依象(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)山(shan)(shan)(shan)玄武(wu)(wu),呈瑞象(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang),左有(you)蓮(lian)花山(shan)(shan)(shan)(0青龍),右有(you)虎頭山(shan)(shan)(shan)(0白虎),前有(you)沙(sha)堤﹡大(da)(da)小(xiao)(xiao)二(er)排斷中(zhong)為(wei)小(xiao)(xiao)象(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(做朱(zhu)雀案(an)山(shan)(shan)(shan)供養)自然(ran)成湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu),故名(ming)(ming)靈(ling)(ling)(ling)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)。源于(yu)(yu)梁武(wu)(wu)帝天監元(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(公元(yuan)502年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))天竺(印(yin)度(du))高僧(seng)智(zhi)(zhi)藥(yao)三(san)藏法師(shi)(shi)(shi);帶(dai)兩棵菩(pu)(pu)提(ti)(ti)圣(sheng)樹(shu)(shu)(shu),浮海(hai)(hai)來華(hua),因臺風受阻(zu),于(yu)(yu)廣(guang)(guang)海(hai)(hai)靈(ling)(ling)(ling)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)登陸,建(jian)(jian)阿(a)蘭若居之。并在(zai)伽(jia)藍內植下(xia)(xia)中(zhong)國第一棵菩(pu)(pu)提(ti)(ti)樹(shu)(shu)(shu)。智(zhi)(zhi)藥(yao)三(san)藏后(hou)(hou)(hou)前往(wang)廣(guang)(guang)州光孝(xiao)寺(si)(si)于(yu)(yu)戒壇上(shang)(shang)植下(xia)(xia)第二(er)棵菩(pu)(pu)提(ti)(ti)樹(shu)(shu)(shu),并立碑預(yu)言(yan)“170年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)后(hou)(hou)(hou)將(jiang)有(you)一肉身菩(pu)(pu)提(ti)(ti)于(yu)(yu)這棵樹(shu)(shu)(shu)下(xia)(xia),開(kai)演無(wu)(wu)上(shang)(shang)微(wei)妙(miao)法,傳(chuan)佛心(xin)印(yin),度(du)無(wu)(wu)量(liang)眾生(sheng)”,之后(hou)(hou)(hou)前往(wang)韶關曲江曹(cao)溪(xi)寶林(lin)山(shan)(shan)(shan)開(kai)山(shan)(shan)(shan)創建(jian)(jian)南(nan)(nan)華(hua)寺(si)(si),并再次立碑預(yu)言(yan)“176年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)后(hou)(hou)(hou)將(jiang)有(you)一肉身菩(pu)(pu)薩來此:演無(wu)(wu)上(shang)(shang)法寶得(de)(de)道者如(ru)林(lin)”。唐(tang)龍塑元(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)辛酉禪(chan)宗(zong)六祖惠能祖師(shi)(shi)(shi)自湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)北黃梅五祖處(chu)得(de)(de)法南(nan)(nan)歸。丙子二(er)月初八在(zai)廣(guang)(guang)州光孝(xiao)寺(si)(si)智(zhi)(zhi)藥(yao)三(san)藏法師(shi)(shi)(shi)手植菩(pu)(pu)提(ti)(ti)樹(shu)(shu)(shu)下(xia)(xia)剃度(du)受戒。后(hou)(hou)(hou)前往(wang)韶關曹(cao)溪(xi)寶林(lin)山(shan)(shan)(shan)中(zhong)興南(nan)(nan)華(hua)寺(si)(si)并弘揚頓(dun)悟法門(men)。因智(zhi)(zhi)藥(yao)三(san)藏法師(shi)(shi)(shi)兩次有(you)關六祖的(de)預(yu)言(yan)得(de)(de)到(dao)印(yin)證,遂成千古(gu)頌(song),故名(ming)(ming)靈(ling)(ling)(ling)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)寺(si)(si)。留(liu)下(xia)(xia)勝因,香(xiang)火益盛,寺(si)(si)宇塑像,堂皇古(gu)雅(ya),蓮(lian)燈(deng)長明(ming),向有(you)吉祥福地(di)之稱。廣(guang)(guang)海(hai)(hai)城(cheng)東蓮(lian)花洋上(shang)(shang)大(da)(da)象(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)馱(tuo)小(xiao)(xiao)象(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang),代代出(chu)和尚,早弛圣(sheng)域(yu)之譽(yu),歷史悠久(jiu),寺(si)(si)之名(ming)(ming)號益顯(xian)。年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)久(jiu)代湮,殿閣災余,金色消(xiao)沉。靈(ling)(ling)(ling)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)寺(si)(si)初毀于(yu)(yu)宋末(mo),元(yuan)至正8年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1348年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))重建(jian)(jian),明(ming)洪(hong)武(wu)(wu)30年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1397年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))重修(xiu),清咸(xian)豐6年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1856年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))至同治二(er)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1863年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))土(tu)(tu)客紛爭,寺(si)(si)宇被焚(fen),僅焦土(tu)(tu)。光緒10年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1884年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))廣(guang)(guang)海(hai)(hai)奇(qi)石彭鳳桐志(zhi)慕云(yun)林(lin)主持重建(jian)(jian)。峻工后(hou)(hou)(hou)善行圓(yuan)滿,整座嶺南(nan)(nan)建(jian)(jian)筑(zhu),布(bu)局宏偉壯觀,即(ji)易名(ming)(ming)“靈(ling)(ling)(ling)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)古(gu)寺(si)(si)”。1937年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)寺(si)(si)又遭洗劫。1947年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)住(zhu)持繼慈法師(shi)(shi)(shi)得(de)(de)0檀越。奇(qi)石建(jian)(jian)筑(zhu)商余沛捐香(xiang)資略(lve)加維(wei)修(xiu)。后(hou)(hou)(hou)由于(yu)(yu)發(fa)生(sheng)震動,歷史沿革,世(shi)法無(wu)(wu)常,年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)代變遷(qian)名(ming)(ming)寺(si)(si)淪為(wei)療養院及駐軍牧馬之場地(di)。
際茲國運興隆,宗教(jiao)政策落實,靈(ling)(ling)湖(hu)寺(si)教(jiao)產歸還佛教(jiao)界管理。2006年(nian)7月11日(ri)原廣(guang)(guang)州(zhou)大(da)(da)佛寺(si)常住(zhu)僧人(ren)釋仁偉為還乙酉仲廈(sha)夢中愿,經臺(tai)山(shan)市博物館領導介紹(shao)來寺(si),主持恢復(fu),重(zhong)興祖師道(dao)場(chang)。古寺(si)滿目瘡(chuang)痍,師嘆:“禪林凋零(ling),梵剎之凄清”。恒蓄(xu)興建宏愿,趁政策之修明,善因夙愿,法緣廣(guang)(guang)洽,心殷圣(sheng)域(yu)重(zhong)光(guang)。承蒙廣(guang)(guang)東省江門市政協(xie)、臺(tai)山(shan)市政府、廣(guang)(guang)海鎮(zhen)各級領導支持及(ji)海內(nei)外(wai)眾善信(xin)之扶持,智(zhi)藥三(san)藏(zang)祖師常寂光(guang)中加(jia)持。涓吉(ji)丙戌(xu)年(nian)觀音(yin)出家吉(ji)日(ri)動土修復(fu)靈(ling)(ling)湖(hu)寺(si)兜率內(nei)院(yuan),同年(nian)季冬(dong)26日(ri)竣工,歷時數月,工程費用(yong)龐大(da)(da)。緣荷嶺南善信(xin)居(ju)(ju)士動員廣(guang)(guang)州(zhou)、深圳、中山(shan)、佛山(shan)、江門等地信(xin)眾發(fa)菩提心、植大(da)(da)福田捐資建寺(si),數額尤巨,并得江門大(da)(da)檀越居(ju)(ju)士助(zhu)籌(chou)香資迎請玉(yu)佛及(ji)裝飾殿(dian)堂用(yong)品(pin)。靈(ling)(ling)湖(hu)有緣善信(xin)聯合番禺大(da)(da)石(shi)眾善信(xin)為靈(ling)(ling)湖(hu)寺(si)做大(da)(da)須彌山(shan)。大(da)(da)放光(guang)明。隨后(hou)東莞廣(guang)(guang)海同鄉會同仁發(fa)心捐殿(dian)外(wai)銅(tong)香爐鋪砌180平方米花崗巖石(shi)板于寺(si)前(qian)廣(guang)(guang)場(chang)。各大(da)(da)善人(ren)崇圣(sheng)同懷,慷慨豪舉協(xie)應,共(gong)修德(de)業,事(shi)功(gong)告成,衹園再現,梵宇琳宮(gong)飾成;佛光(guang)普照,金洲(zhou)寶界通明;海潮音(yin)起(qi),磬唄響徹云宵;蓮云法雨,福澤人(ren)天(tian)無涯(ya)。為褒(bao)揚德(de)事(shi),贊譽善人(ren),乃(nai)備勒石(shi)。光(guang)昭(zhao)功(gong)德(de)。