Realizing all the three states as consciousness leads to Self-Awareness.

Deeper self-search revels the fact that, the soul, body and world are one in essence therefore no second thing exists other than soul, which is in the form of consciousness. Realizing all the three states as consciousness leads to Self-Awareness.

That is why Sri, Sankara indicated in (VC): - 65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.

66. Therefore the wise should, as in the case of disease and the like, personally strive by all the means in their power to be free from the bondage of repeated births and deaths.

Seeker of truth has to direct realization of the true self, through deeper self-search and avoid losing precious time and effort loosing himself in philosophical studies.