Chapter 8 critiques a life spent on just basic survival. What does it say is the 'true success' of being human?

According to the philosophical discourse in Chapter 8, a human being is inherently free, fearless, and independent. The text argues that a life spent merely on activities like eating and sleeping is a waste of the human form. The chapter posits that the "true success" of human birth is the "realization of the Eternal." This higher purpose is what distinguishes human potential from that of other creatures. Furthermore, Chapter 8 suggests that one who understands the fundamental questions of existence—such as "Where have we come from? Who are we?"—is truly proficient, while a life without this inquiry is just exhaustion.