概況
南通(tong)(tong)(tong)天寧(ning)禪(chan)寺(si)(si)(si)始建于唐(tang)朝(chao)，是(shi)南通(tong)(tong)(tong)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)代久，規模較(jiao)大(da)而又保存(cun)較(jiao)好的(de)一座佛教寺(si)(si)(si)院(yuan)。它是(shi)南通(tong)(tong)(tong)江海地區現存(cun)的(de)三座唐(tang)寺(si)(si)(si)（狼山廣教寺(si)(si)(si)，如皋定慧(hui)寺(si)(si)(si)，南通(tong)(tong)(tong)天寧(ning)寺(si)(si)(si)）之一，明《萬歷志(zhi)》、清《康熙志(zhi)》皆作這(zhe)樣的(de)記載：“唐(tang)咸(xian)通(tong)(tong)(tong)中僧(seng)藻煥堂建。舊(jiu)名(ming)光孝天順元年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)僧(seng)法恩奏(zou)改今名(ming)。”《乾隆(long)志(zhi)》作了這(zhe)樣的(de)補(bu)充“寺(si)(si)(si)有光孝塔五級(ji)，后(hou)有毗(pi)盧閣(ge)。宋(song)咸(xian)淳中(約990年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)—1003年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))君人(ren)管(guan)(guan)某(mou)建，僧(seng)法恩募捐。”這(zhe)里記載“天順元年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)法恩奏(zou)改今名(ming)”有誤，應為善慧(hui)。‘管(guan)(guan)某(mou)’，難以(yi)評考，僧(seng)人(ren)曾稱(cheng)為“管(guan)(guan)公(gong)，管(guan)(guan)婆”，并在(zai)金(jin)剛殿供(gong)奉其(qi)像。在(zai)咸(xian)淳年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)間，有宋(song)度宗兵部尚書(shu)、郡人(ren)(一說石港人(ren))印應雷舍其(qi)宅(zhai)入寺(si)(si)(si)（一記管(guan)(guan)某(mou)舍宅(zhai)入寺(si)(si)(si)）。天寧(ning)寺(si)(si)(si)原系奉圣寺(si)(si)(si)，居州(zhou)治之西政和間（公(gong)元1111年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)—1118年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)）遷(qian)天寧(ning)禪(chan)寺(si)(si)(si)并入報恩光孝，后(hou)以(yi)天寧(ning)禪(chan)寺(si)(si)(si)通(tong)(tong)(tong)稱(cheng)。
歷史
對于(yu)這座唐寺(si)(si)的(de)(de)(de)建(jian)年(nian)(nian)(nian)，說法頗混(hun)亂，有說“明宣德年(nian)(nian)(nian)問重(zhong)建(jian)。”有說“始建(jian)于(yu)北(bei)宋。”史(shi)(shi)書(shu)碑文均(jun)記(ji)載唐咸通(tong)(tong)(tong)或貞觀(guan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)間(jian)(jian)。考察(cha)這一歷史(shi)(shi)時期(qi)，正(zheng)是(shi)(shi)(shi)唐王朝經濟(ji)文化發展的(de)(de)(de)鼎盛(sheng)(sheng)，佛教在(zai)江海地區的(de)(de)(de)空前(qian)發展是(shi)(shi)(shi)自然的(de)(de)(de)事(shi).雖然寺(si)(si)院的(de)(de)(de)規模遠不似后來(lai)的(de)(de)(de)面貌，也(ye)應(ying)承(cheng)認(ren)它是(shi)(shi)(shi)寺(si)(si)廟(miao)始建(jian)的(de)(de)(de)最初歷史(shi)(shi)。在(zai)漫長薩歷史(shi)(shi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)代，天(tian)(tian)寧寺(si)(si)有過兩(liang)(liang)次興(xing)盛(sheng)(sheng)的(de)(de)(de)記(ji)錄(lu)：一為北(bei)宋政和年(nian)(nian)(nian)間(jian)(jian)，經過并寺(si)(si)營(ying)建(jian)，使(shi)其：“殿(dian)(dian)(dian)堂宏麗(li)，樓閣穹(qiong)崇，實(shi)一州(zhou)之偉觀(guan)”“至咸淳間(jian)(jian)，復新之，比舊則加焉”其時，宋徽宗趙佶御(yu)筆題(ti)寫“大(da)雄(xiong)之殿(dian)(dian)(dian)”，更為其推(tui)波(bo)助潤,但到(dao)明宣德初，天(tian)(tian)寧寺(si)(si)已是(shi)(shi)(shi)：‘僅存大(da)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)，山門，風雨不支，像護剝落。”后在(zai)宣德、正(zheng)統，天(tian)(tian)順(shun)、萬(wan)歷、天(tian)(tian)啟年(nian)(nian)(nian)間(jian)(jian)均(jun)有興(xing)修(xiu)(xiu)之舉，天(tian)(tian)寧寺(si)(si)迎來(lai)第二(er)個中興(xing)期(qi)。重(zhong)振(zhen)之功首推(tui)通(tong)(tong)(tong)州(zhou)守御(yu)陳謙，他(ta)捐資(zi)請(qing)來(lai)杭州(zhou)凈緣禪師主(zhu)持(chi)(chi)修(xiu)(xiu)建(jian)事(shi)宜，前(qian)后四年(nian)(nian)(nian)整修(xiu)(xiu)了光(guang)(guang)孝塔牙大(da)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、山門，他(ta)還主(zhu)持(chi)(chi)興(xing)建(jian)了園通(tong)(tong)(tong)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)，輪藏殿(dian)(dian)(dian)，醇零樓，其徒善意(yi)又于(yu)正(zheng)紀十四年(nian)(nian)(nian)，天(tian)(tian)順(shun)二(er)年(nian)(nian)(nian)兩(liang)(liang)次興(xing)工修(xiu)(xiu)舊補缺，鑄(zhu)造銅像。而(er)且敕賜寺(si)(si)名(ming)。成為演習禮儀之所。”《萬(wan)歷通(tong)(tong)(tong)州(zhou)志》還提到(dao)寺(si)(si)有火(huo)神廟(miao)，祠山廟(miao)，毗盧閣等建(jian)筑。此外，惠儒等僧人還重(zhong)建(jian)了禪堂，地藏和彌勒殿(dian)(dian)(dian)等，當時通(tong)(tong)(tong)州(zhou)名(ming)士沈明臣，盧純學，吳(wu)熠(yi)、湯有光(guang)(guang)題(ti)下“偶翼毗盧閣，遙堪俯大(da)璃”等佳(jia)句(ju)，詠頌天(tian)(tian)寧寺(si)(si)的(de)(de)(de)一時盛(sheng)(sheng)況。天(tian)(tian)寧寺(si)(si)東部近代枝學校改建(jian)為校舍，西側的(de)(de)(de)火(huo)星殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、水神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)（禹王殿(dian)(dian)(dian)），祖(zu)師殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、大(da)意(yi)堂為晚清(qing)或民國時所建(jian)。
一笑易歡 
