宗善禪(chan)寺又名羊(yang)山(shan)(shan)(shan)寺坐落(luo)在羊(yang)山(shan)(shan)(shan)上(shang),并非(fei)在岠(ju)山(shan)(shan)(shan)峰頂(ding),羊(yang)山(shan)(shan)(shan)寺和岠(ju)山(shan)(shan)(shan)上(shang)面(mian)的寺廟(miao)沒有關系(岠(ju)山(shan)(shan)(shan)原(yuan)名嶧(yi)陽山(shan)(shan)(shan)、葛嶧(yi)山(shan)(shan)(shan))地(di)處(chu)江蘇邳州(zhou)和睢寧交(jiao)界處(chu).海(hai)拔(ba)
213米,是(shi)蘇北除連云港云臺山(shan)之外的最高峰(feng)。康(kang)熙年間進士季運隆所輯的下邳(pi)“八景”詩(shi)中(zhong)有(you)這樣的描繪(hui):峰(feng)獨秀聳長(chang)空。據(ju)史料(liao)記載,岠山(shan)古木蔽(bi)日,古時,山(shan)巔有(you)寨,寨內有(you)“泰山(shan)行宮(gong)”。
2002年在(zai)政府支(zhi)持(chi)下寺(si)廟得以復建,現占(zhan)地60畝寺(si)內有三圣寶殿(dian)觀音殿(dian)地藏殿(dian)等殿(dian)閣、寺(si)內松柏蒼翠、銀杏如蓋,金殿(dian)巍峨(e),氣(qi)勢宏偉、莊重厲(li)穆,古色古香,乃一派古剎風光(guang)之圣地。寺(si)院現在(zai)住(zhu)持(chi):圣祥大師。
公元193年,東漢下(xia)邳國丹(dan)陽人(ren)笮融(rong)任(ren)下(xia)邳相(xiang)時,就在下(xia)邳城西南(nan)二里(li)處的羊(yang)山上建浮屠(tu)(tu)寺(si)。浮屠(tu)(tu)寺(si)上累金(jin)(jin)盤下(xia)為重(zhong)樓,可容三千余人(ren)。浮屠(tu)(tu)寺(si)里(li)建有(you)(you)佛(fo)塔(ta)(ta)(ta),塔(ta)(ta)(ta)上有(you)(you)九個金(jin)(jin)盤(九面(mian)銅(tong)鏡(jing)(jing)):八面(mian)朝八方,中間一(yi)面(mian)朝天,故名(ming)九鏡(jing)(jing)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)。磚石建造的九鏡(jing)(jing)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)為八角九級,各(ge)層(ceng)均有(you)(you)飛檐翹角,塔(ta)(ta)(ta)身內外(wai)有(you)(you)佛(fo)雕480尊,飾(shi)以黃金(jin)(jin)錦衣。塔(ta)(ta)(ta)有(you)(you)148級臺階(jie),盤旋(xuan)而上至(zhi)(zhi)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)頂,為我國最(zui)早的寶塔(ta)(ta)(ta).浮屠(tu)(tu)寺(si)還曾因九鏡(jing)(jing)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)而更名(ming)為“九鏡(jing)(jing)禪寺(si)”,至(zhi)(zhi)唐代貞觀年間,九鏡(jing)(jing)禪寺(si)更名(ming)為釋(shi)迦院,這便是羊(yang)山宗善禪寺(si)的前身。九鏡(jing)(jing)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)不幸(xing)在宋、金(jin)(jin)戰火(huo)中毀沒。
明朝成(cheng)化年(nian)間(jian),宮中太(tai)監邳(pi)州(zhou)人徐瑛(ying),奉(feng)(feng)皇后(hou)懿旨,斥資重建(jian)釋迦院(yuan),成(cheng)化七(qi)年(nian)(1471年(nian))5月落成(cheng),憲(xian)宗(zong)皇帝朱見深賜名(ming)(ming)為(wei)“宗(zong)善禪寺(si)”。該(gai)(gai)(gai)寺(si)規模宏大,由(you)山(shan)下往上(shang)登十八盤(pan),山(shan)門楹聯為(wei)“千(qian)(qian)秋泗濱三(san)寶(bao)地,萬古羊山(shan)一(yi)禪林”。其殿(dian)堂,依山(shan)勢往上(shang)逐(zhu)(zhu)層(ceng)(ceng)為(wei)“金(jin)剛殿(dian)”、“接引(yin)殿(dian)”、“大慈殿(dian)”、“羅(luo)(luo)漢殿(dian)”,后(hou)院(yuan)有(you)兩層(ceng)(ceng)樓殿(dian)供(gong)奉(feng)(feng)“皇姑像”和“三(san)官”,東西(xi)兩側分別是“玄都殿(dian)”和“閻羅(luo)(luo)殿(dian)”。該(gai)(gai)(gai)寺(si)供(gong)奉(feng)(feng)的(de)如來銅像,佛身鑄有(you)小佛千(qian)(qian)尊,佛像重達4800斤。該(gai)(gai)(gai)寺(si)在解放前極負勝名(ming)(ming),寺(si)內(nei)有(you)常住僧近(jin)百(bai)人,天天都有(you)善男信女及游客上(shang)千(qian)(qian)人出入(ru)。不幸的(de)是,寺(si)廟(miao)在抗戰期間(jian)曾遭(zao)日軍焚壞(huai);文化革(ge)命期間(jian),寺(si)僧被逐(zhu)(zhu)(最后(hou)一(yi)位僧人法名(ming)(ming)釋海(hai)潮,于1970年(nian)去逝),寺(si)產(chan)也被毀壞(huai)殆盡(jin),僅存“宗(zong)善寺(si)”匾額一(yi)塊。