錢坑鎮石龍(long)寺又(you)名石靈(ling)古剎,又(you)被當地(di)人(ren)稱為“庵”(當地(di)人(ren)的潮汕家鄉音),位于揭西縣錢坑鎮錢西村仙(xian)徑山(shan)(shan)之望(wang)天獅山(shan)(shan)腰,坐東北(bei)向西南,左、右、后三面環山(shan)(shan),處(chu)于“五龍(long)朝主(zhu)”格(ge)局(ju)的“主(zhu)”位。
沿寺(si)后石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)徑拾級而上(shang)(shang),行(xing)十(shi)余米處,有(you)一(yi)(yi)開(kai)闊地,周圍梨(li)樹、紅柿等嶺南佳(jia)果漫山遍野,石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)林(lin)成片(pian),怪石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)嶙峋,形態各(ge)異,多彩多姿(zi),似(si)(si)猛獸、似(si)(si)飛(fei)禽、似(si)(si)美女、似(si)(si)壯漢,頑石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)竟生龍(long)(long)氣,宛如人(ren)(ren)(ren)間仙境(jing)。沿石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)隙穿行(xing)數步,有(you)大石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)攔路(lu),疑(yi)似(si)(si)無路(lu),側(ce)身穿過(guo)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)壁,卻又豁然(ran)開(kai)朗,別(bie)有(you)一(yi)(yi)番天(tian)地,稱“疑(yi)無路(lu)”、“別(bie)有(you)天(tian)”。沿石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)徑攀延而上(shang)(shang)200余米,可(ke)達半坡(po)之“小西天(tian)”,但見(jian)叢(cong)林(lin)中(zhong)隱(yin)一(yi)(yi)巨(ju)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi),高4米,狀如伏(fu)盆,下有(you)天(tian)然(ran)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)屋,石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)壁平(ping)滑(hua),可(ke)容二十(shi)多人(ren)(ren)(ren),內設(she)祭壇,供奉(feng)彌勒佛(fo)。尤其是寺(si)地下及(ji)寺(si)四周石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)塊層(ceng)層(ceng)疊疊,形成無數的(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)洞(dong)(dong)(dong),龍(long)(long)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)通虎洞(dong)(dong)(dong),十(shi)彎八曲洞(dong)(dong)(dong)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)相連(lian)(lian),從下邊的(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)門(men)通過(guo)連(lian)(lian)接的(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)至(zhi)上(shang)(shang)邊的(de)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)口,全(quan)長(chang)約300米,稱“石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)崆龍(long)(long)”。洞(dong)(dong)(dong)內夏(xia)涼(liang)、冬暖,是禪師靜坐、默念修行(xing)和游人(ren)(ren)(ren)游覽避暑的(de)佳(jia)地。相傳(chuan)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)中(zhong)有(you)一(yi)(yi)“琴蛇(she)”和“千(qian)年龍(long)(long)龜(gui)”,游客于石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)上(shang)(shang)擊掌,可(ke)聞蛤聲齊鳴,故稱“蛤坑”,使(shi)人(ren)(ren)(ren)有(you)神秘莫測之感。如今,在(zai)寺(si)前(qian)湖邊,仍可(ke)見(jian)龜(gui)蛇(she)化石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)。
寺建(jian)于古代(dai),經多(duo)次修建(jian),現可稽考的一次是(shi)(shi)清雍正九年(nian)(1731);一次是(shi)(shi)1930年(nian)。《中國大百科全書·潮汕(shan)(shan)百科全書》、《潮汕(shan)(shan)文(wen)物志》、《潮州府(fu)志·揭陽縣(xian)正續志》、《揭西縣(xian)志》、《揭西文(wen)史》等多(duo)部(bu)史書對(dui)此名勝(sheng)古跡都有記載,歷史悠(you)久,寺院(yuan)古樸,奇(qi)石磷峋,林木(mu)茂密,已有300年(nian)的歷史。 [1]
《潮流(liu)府志·揭陽縣(xian)正(zheng)續志》記載:“仙(xian)徑山距城西百(bai)里,霖田都(dou)脈連三山,狀如覆盆,相(xiang)傳(chuan)昔有(you)仙(xian)人過此,故名。山南(nan)有(you)石卓(zhuo)立如屏,色黯則霽,開(kai)朗則雨(yu),鄉人以卜陰晴(qing)屢驗。山麓有(you)竇,僅容人行,行數十步,寬敞豁(huo)目,深不能竟其底,下有(you)流(liu)泉(quan)”。
石(shi)靈(ling)(ling)(ling)寺(si)(si)底部和四周(zhou)的(de)(de)石(shi)又(you)高大又(you)神奇,因而此寺(si)(si)也稱“石(shi)靈(ling)(ling)(ling)巖(yan)”。有(you)“石(shi)竟生靈(ling)(ling)(ling)氣”、“石(shi)靈(ling)(ling)(ling)巖(yan)是仙人常到之(zhi)地”等的(de)(de)傳說。
寺后石(shi)頭上(shang)有“仙足跡”,傳說是古(gu)時仙人(ren)常在石(shi)靈(ling)巖來(lai)往遺留下的腳印。
2009年(nian)進行全(quan)面(mian)規(gui)劃石龍(long)寺(si)景區,占地(di)約100多畝,主要(yao)建設(she)項目有(you)大雄(xiong)寶(bao)殿(dian)、觀(guan)音閣、藥師殿(dian)、藏經閣、鐘鼓樓(lou)、滴水觀(guan)音、放生池、僧(seng)舍(she)以及(ji)道路、停車場等(deng)。錢(qian)西石靈寺(si)的新大雄(xiong)寶(bao)殿(dian)奠基儀式(shi)2010年(nian)在10月(yue)在揭陽市揭西縣錢(qian)坑(keng)鎮舉行。
寺(si)內塑關帝、周倉等神像(xiang)。按“八卦(gua)”方位植樹8棵(ke),人稱“八卦(gua)樹”。“文革”被伐7棵(ke),現僅存1棵(ke),古樹貴州(zhou)方長滿(man)青苔,云(yun)南方則(ze)呈一片(pian)黃土。