概況
南通天(tian)(tian)寧禪(chan)寺(si)(si)始建于唐朝(chao)，是南通年代久，規模較(jiao)大(da)而又保存(cun)較(jiao)好(hao)的(de)(de)一座(zuo)佛教寺(si)(si)院。它是南通江海地區現存(cun)的(de)(de)三座(zuo)唐寺(si)(si)（狼(lang)山(shan)廣教寺(si)(si)，如皋(gao)定慧寺(si)(si)，南通天(tian)(tian)寧寺(si)(si)）之(zhi)一，明《萬歷(li)志(zhi)》、清《康熙志(zhi)》皆作這樣(yang)的(de)(de)記(ji)載(zai)：“唐咸(xian)通中僧(seng)藻煥(huan)堂建。舊(jiu)名(ming)(ming)光孝(xiao)天(tian)(tian)順元(yuan)年僧(seng)法(fa)恩(en)奏改(gai)今名(ming)(ming)。”《乾隆志(zhi)》作了這樣(yang)的(de)(de)補充“寺(si)(si)有(you)光孝(xiao)塔五級，后有(you)毗(pi)盧閣。宋(song)咸(xian)淳中(約990年—1003年)君人(ren)管(guan)某建，僧(seng)法(fa)恩(en)募捐。”這里記(ji)載(zai)“天(tian)(tian)順元(yuan)年法(fa)恩(en)奏改(gai)今名(ming)(ming)”有(you)誤，應(ying)為(wei)善(shan)慧。‘管(guan)某’，難以(yi)評考，僧(seng)人(ren)曾(ceng)稱為(wei)“管(guan)公，管(guan)婆(po)”，并在金剛(gang)殿供奉(feng)(feng)其像(xiang)。在咸(xian)淳年間(jian)，有(you)宋(song)度(du)宗(zong)兵部尚書、郡人(ren)(一說石港人(ren))印應(ying)雷舍(she)其宅入(ru)寺(si)(si)（一記(ji)管(guan)某舍(she)宅入(ru)寺(si)(si)）。天(tian)(tian)寧寺(si)(si)原系奉(feng)(feng)圣寺(si)(si)，居州治之(zhi)西政和間(jian)（公元(yuan)1111年—1118年）遷(qian)天(tian)(tian)寧禪(chan)寺(si)(si)并入(ru)報恩(en)光孝(xiao)，后以(yi)天(tian)(tian)寧禪(chan)寺(si)(si)通稱。
歷史
對于(yu)(yu)這座(zuo)唐寺的(de)(de)建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)年(nian)(nian)(nian)，說(shuo)法頗混亂，有說(shuo)“明(ming)宣(xuan)德(de)年(nian)(nian)(nian)問重(zhong)建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)。”有說(shuo)“始(shi)建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)于(yu)(yu)北宋(song)。”史書碑文(wen)(wen)均(jun)記載唐咸(xian)通(tong)或貞觀年(nian)(nian)(nian)間。考察這一歷史時(shi)(shi)期，正(zheng)是(shi)(shi)唐王朝經濟文(wen)(wen)化(hua)發展的(de)(de)鼎(ding)盛，佛教(jiao)在(zai)(zai)(zai)江海(hai)地區的(de)(de)空前發展是(shi)(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(lai)的(de)(de)面貌，也應承認它是(shi)(shi)寺廟(miao)始(shi)建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)的(de)(de)最初歷史。在(zai)(zai)(zai)漫(man)長薩歷史年(nian)(nian)(nian)代，天(tian)寧寺有過兩次興盛的(de)(de)記錄(lu)：一為(wei)(wei)北宋(song)政和(he)年(nian)(nian)(nian)間，經過并寺營建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)，使其(qi)：“殿(dian)(dian)(dian)堂(tang)宏麗，樓(lou)閣(ge)穹崇(chong)，實(shi)一州(zhou)之偉(wei)觀”“至咸(xian)淳間，復(fu)新之，比舊則(ze)加焉”其(qi)時(shi)(shi)，宋(song)徽宗(zong)趙佶御(yu)筆題寫“大(da)雄之殿(dian)(dian)(dian)”，更(geng)為(wei)(wei)其(qi)推(tui)波助(zhu)潤,但到(dao)明(ming)宣(xuan)德(de)初，天(tian)寧寺已是(shi)(shi)：‘僅存大(da)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)，山門，風雨不(bu)支，像(xiang)護剝(bo)落。”后(hou)在(zai)(zai)(zai)宣(xuan)德(de)、正(zheng)統，天(tian)順、萬(wan)歷、天(tian)啟(qi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)間均(jun)有興修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)之舉，天(tian)寧寺迎來(lai)第二個中(zhong)興期。重(zhong)振之功首推(tui)通(tong)州(zhou)守御(yu)陳謙，他(ta)捐資請來(lai)杭州(zhou)凈緣禪師主(zhu)(zhu)持(chi)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)事(shi)宜(yi)，前后(hou)四年(nian)(nian)(nian)整修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了(le)光孝塔牙大(da)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、山門，他(ta)還(huan)主(zhu)(zhu)持(chi)興建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)了(le)園通(tong)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)，輪(lun)藏(zang)(zang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)，醇零樓(lou)，其(qi)徒(tu)善(shan)意(yi)又于(yu)(yu)正(zheng)紀十四年(nian)(nian)(nian)，天(tian)順二年(nian)(nian)(nian)兩次興工(gong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)舊補缺，鑄(zhu)造銅像(xiang)。而且敕(chi)賜寺名(ming)。成為(wei)(wei)演習禮儀之所。”《萬(wan)歷通(tong)州(zhou)志》還(huan)提到(dao)寺有火(huo)神廟(miao)，祠山廟(miao)，毗盧閣(ge)等(deng)建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)筑。此外(wai)，惠(hui)儒等(deng)僧人還(huan)重(zhong)建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)了(le)禪堂(tang)，地藏(zang)(zang)和(he)彌(mi)勒(le)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)等(deng)，當時(shi)(shi)通(tong)州(zhou)名(ming)士沈(shen)明(ming)臣，盧純學，吳熠、湯(tang)有光題下“偶(ou)翼毗盧閣(ge)，遙堪俯大(da)璃(li)”等(deng)佳句，詠頌天(tian)寧寺的(de)(de)一時(shi)(shi)盛況。天(tian)寧寺東部近(jin)代枝(zhi)學校(xiao)(xiao)改建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)為(wei)(wei)校(xiao)(xiao)舍，西側(ce)的(de)(de)火(huo)星殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、水(shui)神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)（禹王殿(dian)(dian)(dian)），祖師殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、大(da)意(yi)堂(tang)為(wei)(wei)晚清或民國(guo)時(shi)(shi)所建(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)。
一笑易歡 
