概況
南(nan)通(tong)天寧(ning)禪(chan)寺(si)(si)(si)始(shi)建于(yu)唐(tang)朝，是南(nan)通(tong)年(nian)(nian)(nian)代久，規模較大而又保存較好的一(yi)(yi)座佛(fo)教寺(si)(si)(si)院。它是南(nan)通(tong)江海地區現存的三座唐(tang)寺(si)(si)(si)（狼山廣教寺(si)(si)(si)，如皋定慧寺(si)(si)(si)，南(nan)通(tong)天寧(ning)寺(si)(si)(si)）之一(yi)(yi)，明《萬歷志(zhi)》、清《康熙(xi)志(zhi)》皆作這(zhe)樣(yang)的記(ji)(ji)載：“唐(tang)咸(xian)通(tong)中僧(seng)(seng)藻(zao)煥(huan)堂建。舊名光(guang)孝天順(shun)元年(nian)(nian)(nian)僧(seng)(seng)法(fa)恩(en)(en)奏改今(jin)名。”《乾(qian)隆(long)志(zhi)》作了這(zhe)樣(yang)的補充“寺(si)(si)(si)有光(guang)孝塔五級，后有毗盧閣。宋(song)(song)咸(xian)淳(chun)中(約990年(nian)(nian)(nian)—1003年(nian)(nian)(nian))君人(ren)管(guan)(guan)某建，僧(seng)(seng)法(fa)恩(en)(en)募捐。”這(zhe)里記(ji)(ji)載“天順(shun)元年(nian)(nian)(nian)法(fa)恩(en)(en)奏改今(jin)名”有誤，應(ying)為(wei)善(shan)慧。‘管(guan)(guan)某’，難以評考，僧(seng)(seng)人(ren)曾稱為(wei)“管(guan)(guan)公，管(guan)(guan)婆”，并(bing)在金剛殿供奉(feng)其(qi)像。在咸(xian)淳(chun)年(nian)(nian)(nian)間，有宋(song)(song)度宗兵部尚(shang)書、郡人(ren)(一(yi)(yi)說石港(gang)人(ren))印應(ying)雷舍(she)(she)其(qi)宅(zhai)(zhai)入(ru)寺(si)(si)(si)（一(yi)(yi)記(ji)(ji)管(guan)(guan)某舍(she)(she)宅(zhai)(zhai)入(ru)寺(si)(si)(si)）。天寧(ning)寺(si)(si)(si)原系奉(feng)圣寺(si)(si)(si)，居(ju)州治之西政和間（公元1111年(nian)(nian)(nian)—1118年(nian)(nian)(nian)）遷天寧(ning)禪(chan)寺(si)(si)(si)并(bing)入(ru)報恩(en)(en)光(guang)孝，后以天寧(ning)禪(chan)寺(si)(si)(si)通(tong)稱。
歷史
對于(yu)這(zhe)座唐(tang)(tang)寺的(de)(de)建(jian)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)，說法頗(po)混亂，有說“明宣德(de)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)問重建(jian)。”有說“始建(jian)于(yu)北宋。”史書碑文(wen)均記(ji)載唐(tang)(tang)咸通或貞(zhen)觀年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)間(jian)。考察這(zhe)一歷(li)史時(shi)(shi)期(qi)，正(zheng)(zheng)是(shi)唐(tang)(tang)王朝經(jing)濟文(wen)化發展的(de)(de)鼎盛(sheng)，佛教(jiao)在江海地區的(de)(de)空前發展是(shi)自然(ran)的(de)(de)事(shi).雖然(ran)寺院的(de)(de)規模遠不(bu)似后(hou)來的(de)(de)面貌，也應承認它是(shi)寺廟始建(jian)的(de)(de)最初歷(li)史。在漫長薩(sa)歷(li)史年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)代(dai)，天(tian)(tian)寧寺有過兩(liang)次(ci)興(xing)盛(sheng)的(de)(de)記(ji)錄：一為(wei)北宋政和(he)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)間(jian)，經(jing)過并寺營建(jian)，使其(qi)：“殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)堂(tang)宏麗，樓(lou)閣(ge)穹(qiong)崇，實一州(zhou)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)偉觀”“至咸淳間(jian)，復新之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)，比(bi)舊(jiu)則加(jia)焉”其(qi)時(shi)(shi)，宋徽宗趙佶御(yu)筆題(ti)寫“大(da)雄(xiong)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)”，更為(wei)其(qi)推波助潤,但到(dao)明宣德(de)初，天(tian)(tian)寧寺已是(shi)：‘僅(jin)存大(da)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)，山(shan)門，風雨不(bu)支(zhi)，像(xiang)護剝(bo)落(luo)。”后(hou)在宣德(de)、正(zheng)(zheng)統，天(tian)(tian)順、萬歷(li)、天(tian)(tian)啟年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)間(jian)均有興(xing)修(xiu)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)舉，天(tian)(tian)寧寺迎來第二個中興(xing)期(qi)。重振之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)功(gong)首推通州(zhou)守御(yu)陳謙(qian)，他捐資請來杭州(zhou)凈緣禪(chan)師主(zhu)(zhu)持修(xiu)建(jian)事(shi)宜，前后(hou)四年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)整修(xiu)了(le)(le)光(guang)孝(xiao)塔牙大(da)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、山(shan)門，他還主(zhu)(zhu)持興(xing)建(jian)了(le)(le)園通殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)，輪(lun)藏(zang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)，醇(chun)零樓(lou)，其(qi)徒善意又于(yu)正(zheng)(zheng)紀十四年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)，天(tian)(tian)順二年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)兩(liang)次(ci)興(xing)工修(xiu)舊(jiu)補(bu)缺(que)，鑄(zhu)造銅像(xiang)。而且敕賜寺名。成為(wei)演習禮儀(yi)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)所。”《萬歷(li)通州(zhou)志(zhi)》還提(ti)到(dao)寺有火神(shen)廟，祠山(shan)廟，毗盧(lu)閣(ge)等(deng)建(jian)筑。此外(wai)，惠儒等(deng)僧人還重建(jian)了(le)(le)禪(chan)堂(tang)，地藏(zang)和(he)彌勒殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)等(deng)，當時(shi)(shi)通州(zhou)名士(shi)沈明臣，盧(lu)純學，吳熠(yi)、湯有光(guang)題(ti)下“偶翼毗盧(lu)閣(ge)，遙(yao)堪俯大(da)璃”等(deng)佳句，詠頌天(tian)(tian)寧寺的(de)(de)一時(shi)(shi)盛(sheng)況。天(tian)(tian)寧寺東部(bu)近代(dai)枝學校(xiao)改建(jian)為(wei)校(xiao)舍，西側的(de)(de)火星殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、水神(shen)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)（禹(yu)王殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)），祖(zu)師殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、大(da)意堂(tang)為(wei)晚清或民國時(shi)(shi)所建(jian)。
一笑易歡 
