Adi Shankaracharya, also known as Shankara or Shankaracharya, was a renowned Indian philosopher and theologian who lived in the 8th century. He is considered to be the foremost proponent of Advaita Vedanta, a school of philosophy that emphasizes the idea of non-dualism or oneness of the individual self (Atman) and the ultimate reality (Brahman). In his teachings, Shankaracharya placed great emphasis on the spiritual knowledge and realization of the true nature of the self, rather than the mere performance of rituals and ceremonies.

Shankaracharya believed that rituals and ceremonies, while important in their own right, were not the ultimate goal of spiritual practice. He saw them as a means to an end, rather than an end in themselves. According to him, rituals and ceremonies could help an individual to purify their mind and body, but they could not lead to the realization of the ultimate truth.

In his famous work, Vivekachudamani, Shankaracharya states, "The performance of rituals, charity, and austerities cannot give liberation, but they purify the mind and help to attain knowledge." He believed that rituals and ceremonies were meant to be performed with a sense of detachment and without any attachment to the results. This detachment would lead to the purification of the mind and eventually to the realization of the true self.

Shankaracharya also criticized the blind adherence to rituals and ceremonies without understanding their deeper meaning. He believed that people often get lost in the external aspects of rituals and forget the true purpose behind them. In his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, he says, "A person who performs external rituals without understanding their inner significance is like a donkey carrying a load of sandalwood unaware of its fragrance."

Furthermore, Shankaracharya believed that the ultimate goal of spiritual practice was to transcend all dualities and realize the oneness of the self and the ultimate reality. This could only be achieved through knowledge and understanding, not through the performance of rituals and ceremonies. He saw rituals and ceremonies as a means to cultivate the necessary qualities of detachment, purity, and devotion, which were essential for the attainment of spiritual knowledge.

In conclusion, Adi Shankaracharya's stance on rituals and ceremonies was that they were important for the purification of the mind and body, but they were not the ultimate goal of spiritual practice. He emphasized the importance of understanding their deeper meaning and performing them with a sense of detachment. For Shankaracharya, the true purpose of spiritual practice was to attain knowledge and realization of the oneness of the self and the ultimate reality.