What is the difference between Enlightenment, Awakening and Liberation?

Liberation (Moksha) happens in two stages:

Liberation of our Soul from the wrong belief of “I am John (you may insert your own name here)”, which we are carrying with us for infinite lifetimes, is the first stage of moksha! In this stage, we become free from all unhappiness, here in this life only.
This happens when we realize, “I am a pure Soul and these worldly things have nothing to do with the Soul.” Unless and until we achieve the first stage of liberation, which is called Self-Realization, we cannot start with finishing our karmas.

And when all our karma is finished, then the second stage of liberation is achieved, and it is called ‘Nirvana’ or the ultimate salvation. There is no rebirth thereafter.
So liberation begins with Self-Realization, or in other words, when one attains enlightenment, or when one undergoes spiritual awakening.

When one realizes the Soul, it is called Self-Realization. During Self-Realization, one is enlightened to the fact of ‘who really am I’, as the ignorance of the Self gets removed. From time immemorial, one has not known what is the real Self. Due to this ignorance of the Self, one has always lived in an illusion. And year after year, life after life, this illusion has only multiplied. It has multiplied infinitely. Spiritually, this state of illusion is called a state of deep sleep. It is only when one is awakened from this slumber, that he becomes aware of the Self that, ‘I am really a pure Soul.’ This awakening is called spiritual awakening, which occurs only through self-realization. Once the real Self is realized, the awareness of the Self begins.

How do we attai
Self-Realization or enlightenment or awakening, which marks the beginning of our liberation?

The enlightened one (Gnani Purush) always remains in the bliss of the Self, and only He can bring us in the bliss of the Self. Otherwise, no one else can. The One who has swum across (the worldly sea) can help others swim across. How can a drowning man help you swim?

• Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan

On the path of Akram Vignan, Self-realisation is attained during the Gnan-Vidhi ceremony which is performed by the Enlightened Being (Gnani Purush). This is a 2 hours program wherein:

• One realizes the real Self as the wrong belief of ‘who am I’ is removed.

• One understands which entity is really the doer, and thereby, one gets free from all forms of doership ego.

Thus, after Self-realisation, begins the experience of liberation.

One can tell that one is Self-realised:

• When the right understanding of ‘Who am I’ has been established.

• Through this right knowledge, one is able to remain detached from the mind, body, ego, and everything that happens to the body complex. Hence, one experiences liberation from all kinds of physical, mental, or any other external suffering too.

• As one's experience of the bliss of the Self grows, the inner emotions that trouble human beings, such as anger, greed, pride, and deceit (kashaya) - gradually diminish. These kashays are verily the cause of all suffering.

• As one begins to apply Gnani’s words, one experiences more and more eternal peace, happiness and harmony with all living beings.

• With Self-Realisation, love, and compassion for all living beings get invoked, which leads to the intent for the salvation of the world.

Second and final stage - Self-realised beings are moving gradually towards final liberation, a bodiless and karma-free state — moksha, which is the second stage and final stage of liberation.

So in essence, the process of Self-realisation is the initial step towards achieving awakened consciousness, where one discovers their true Self. To embark on the path to spiritual liberation, one must first attai
Self-realisation from Gnani Purush. And thereafter, following Gnani’s words, as one sees and knows each karma by residing in the realm of the Self, one keeps progressing toward the ultimate liberation.