山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)與(yu)佛(fo)(fo)(fo)的(de)(de)因緣最早(zao)要(yao)追(zhui)溯到(dao)(dao)晉(jin)朝(chao)(chao),相傳(chuan)西域(yu)僧(seng)(seng)人慧照來到(dao)(dao)無(wu)錫秀麗的(de)(de)西神山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)麓駐錫傳(chuan)道(dao),從(cong)此就(jiu)有(you)了(le)惠山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)之(zhi)名(ming)。寺(si)建(jian)于(yu)宋(song)景平(ping)元(yuan)年(nian)(公元(yuan)423年(nian)),梁大同(tong)(tong)(tong)三年(nian)(537年(nian)),建(jian)大同(tong)(tong)(tong)殿,易(yi)名(ming)為法云禪(chan)院。唐宋(song)間(jian),又改名(ming)為昌師院、普利(li)院、旌忠(zhong)薦福功德禪(chan)院等(deng)。惠山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)是禪(chan)宗道(dao)場,歷史上(shang)香火旺(wang)盛,高(gao)僧(seng)(seng)眾多,唐宋(song)鼎盛期僧(seng)(seng)舍達(da)數千(qian)間(jian)。惠山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)因佛(fo)(fo)(fo)而繁榮。從(cong)唐朝(chao)(chao)會昌至清朝(chao)(chao)同(tong)(tong)(tong)治(zhi)的(de)(de)千(qian)余年(nian)間(jian),惠山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)五次遭劫,五次重建(jian)。清朝(chao)(chao)乾隆(long)皇帝曾到(dao)(dao)惠山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)禮佛(fo)(fo)(fo)并留下大量詩篇。1863年(nian)李鴻章在惠山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)廢墟上(shang)建(jian)昭忠(zhong)祠。惠山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)由于(yu)其悠久的(de)(de)歷史和深厚的(de)(de)文化而歷無(wu)錫十(shi)大叢林之(zhi)首。保存(cun)完整(zheng)的(de)(de)唐代聽松石床(chuang)、唐宋(song)經幢、香花橋、宋(song)代金蓮橋、明代古銀杏(xing)、清代御碑等(deng)珍貴文物以及近(jin)年(nian)修復(fu)建(jian)造(zao)的(de)(de)大雄寶殿、惠山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)鐘等(deng)展(zhan)示了(le)佛(fo)(fo)(fo)教文化的(de)(de)獨(du)特魅力。2004年(nian)4月26日,具有(you)1500余年(nian)歷史的(de)(de)江南(nan)名(ming)剎惠山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)法喜充滿,修復(fu)開放(fang)并恢復(fu)宗教活動,從(cong)此晨鐘暮鼓、經聲佛(fo)(fo)(fo)號又回蕩在錫惠山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)麓。目前的(de)(de)惠山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)佛(fo)(fo)(fo)法僧(seng)(seng)三寶俱(ju)足,古老的(de)(de)叢林正呈現出勃(bo)(bo)勃(bo)(bo)生機(ji)。
惠(hui)山(shan)寺位于(yu)無錫(xi)惠(hui)山(shan)秀嶂(zhang)街(jie)(今惠(hui)山(shan)直(zhi)街(jie)和橫街(jie)交接(jie)處),始建于(yu)南北朝(chao)。它的前身是南朝(chao)劉宋(song)司徒右長史湛(zhan)挺創立的“歷(li)山(shan)草堂”。劉宋(song)景平元年(423),把歷(li)山(shan)草堂改作僧舍,稱(cheng)“華山(shan)精舍”,梁朝(chao)大同三年(537),又(you)把“華山(shan)精舍”改為“慧山(shan)寺”。
惠(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)(si),位于(yu)惠(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)秀嶂街(jie)(今惠(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)直街(jie)和橫(heng)街(jie)交接(jie)處(chu)),始建于(yu)南(nan)北(bei)(bei)朝(chao)(chao),距今已有一(yi)千五百(bai)余年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)。它的(de)前身(shen)是南(nan)朝(chao)(chao)劉(liu)宋(song)司徒右長史湛挺創立的(de)“歷山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)草堂(tang)(tang)”。當時他(ta)(ta)歸隱在(zai)歷山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(惠(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)),與(yu)南(nan)朝(chao)(chao)的(de)南(nan)平(ping)王劉(liu)爍以詩(shi)(shi)章(zhang)酬和,齊江淹亦有繼作,后(hou)人把(ba)(ba)(ba)他(ta)(ta)們的(de)詩(shi)(shi)作列于(yu)壁間。劉(liu)宋(song)景平(ping)元(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(423年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)),把(ba)(ba)(ba)歷山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)草堂(tang)(tang)改(gai)(gai)作僧(seng)舍(she)(she),稱“華山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)精舍(she)(she)”。元(yuan)徽(474年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)——476年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))間,沙(sha)門(men)僧(seng)顯,從京師(今南(nan)京)入吳地(di),在(zai)“華山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)精舍(she)(she)”休息過(guo),這(zhe)是最早而有名(ming)望的(de)高僧(seng)。梁朝(chao)(chao)大同(tong)三年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(537年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)),把(ba)(ba)(ba)華山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)精舍(she)(she)改(gai)(gai)為“慧山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)(si)”。寺(si)(si)僧(seng)陳大德建大同(tong)殿(dian),又(you)(you)名(ming)“法(fa)云禪(chan)院(yuan)”。唐朝(chao)(chao)會昌(841年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)——846年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))間,寺(si)(si)毀,唐朝(chao)(chao)大中(847年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)——859年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))期間重(zhong)建。北(bei)(bei)宋(song)至道(995年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)——997年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))間,賜額(e)“普利院(yuan)”。北(bei)(bei)宋(song)靖康(kang)元(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1126年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)),賜給名(ming)相李綱作 “功(gong)德院(yuan)”。宋(song)紹(shao)興(xing)元(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1131年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)),把(ba)(ba)(ba)該院(yuan)賜給信(xin)安(an)郡王孟忠(zhong)厚,祀昭(zhao)慈圣憲(xian)孟太后(hou),改(gai)(gai)額(e)“旌忠(zhong)薦(jian)福寺(si)(si)”,賜銅印一(yi)顆,上鐫“旌忠(zhong)薦(jian)福功(gong)德禪(chan)院(yuan)之印”,元(yuan)朝(chao)(chao)末年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)被毀,明朝(chao)(chao)洪(hong)武元(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1368年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))僧(seng)普真(zhen)重(zhong)修(xiu)。永樂五年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1407年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))僧(seng)懷祖又(you)(you)修(xiu)建。正統十(shi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1445年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))被火燒毀。巡撫周忱,知(zhi)縣項伾重(zhong)建。萬(wan)歷二(er)(er)十(shi)三年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1959年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)),有個唐裕(yu)的(de),挾妓游春,競放火炮,炮火飛上殿(dian)脊(ji),殿(dian)被焚(fen)毀,次年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)吳申(shen)錫捐千金重(zhong)建,他(ta)(ta)的(de)兒子澄時又(you)(you)造了禪(chan)堂(tang)(tang)和不二(er)(er)法(fa)門(men)。康(kang)熙于(yu)二(er)(er)十(shi)三年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1684年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))南(nan)巡時,至惠(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)(si),在(zai)漪(yi)瀾(lan)堂(tang)(tang)品泉。第二(er)(er)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian),無錫人周宏詞力(li)加修(xiu)治(zhi),題額(e)為“圣敬式(shi)臨”。后(hou)來,乾(qian)隆(long)六次到惠(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan),在(zai)秦園和竹爐山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)房休息,寫(xie)了不少(shao)(shao)詩(shi)(shi)詞,題了不少(shao)(shao)匾(bian)聯,還特地(di)為“惠(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)(si)”題額(e)。清(qing)朝(chao)(chao)感豐至同(tong)治(zhi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)間,李鴻(hong)章(zhang)的(de)淮湘(xiang)軍曾與(yu)太平(ping)軍在(zai)江南(nan)一(yi)帶激(ji)戰,惠(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)的(de)寺(si)(si)院(yuan)毀于(yu)戰火,僅存寺(si)(si)門(men)匾(bian)額(e)。后(hou)來,李鴻(hong)章(zhang)在(zai)惠(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)(si)的(de)廢墟上建立了“昭(zhao)忠(zhong)祠(ci)”,辛(xin)亥(hai)革命(ming)后(hou)改(gai)(gai)為“忠(zhong)烈(lie)祠(ci)”。
由于惠山(shan)寺坐落在名勝之地,聲譽早已隨(sui)著(zhu)天下第二泉的美名而滿(man)天下。它早在唐宋之時(shi),就香火不絕(jue),盛極一時(shi)。寺院(yuan)范圍包(bao)括整個愚公(gong)谷和(he)寄暢園(yuan),僧舍(she)就有一千零四十(shi)八間之多(duo)。古往今來,多(duo)少(shao)騷人墨客(ke),以至帝王將相,在經(jing)過京(jing)杭大運河時(shi),都要在惠山(shan)寺逗留。
解放后,市人民(min)政府對惠(hui)山(shan)(shan)寺進(jin)行(xing)了全面(mian)整修,1954年重新設計改建(jian)了“古(gu)華山(shan)(shan)門(men)”和(he)(he)二(er)山(shan)(shan)門(men),非常壯嚴古(gu)樸(pu)。現在惠(hui)山(shan)(shan)寺還保留著古(gu)跡和(he)(he)建(jian)筑(zhu)物有古(gu)華山(shan)(shan)門(men)、唐(tang)宋石經(jing)幢、金(jin)(jin)剛殿(dian)(dian)、香花橋和(he)(he)日月池、金(jin)(jin)蓮橋和(he)(he)金(jin)(jin)蓮池、御碑亭、聽松(song)石床、古(gu)銀(yin)杏樹、大同(tong)殿(dian)(dian)、竹爐(lu)山(shan)(shan)房(fang)和(he)(he)云(yun)起樓等。