Saturday, February 19, 2022

Life Before Death

This article appeared in the March 2021 issue of the BTG India and in the Nov/Dec 2021 issue of the BTG International Magazine.




Life Before Death

“Life exists not because of a functioning body, but despite being in an inherently dead body.”


Life after death is a popular philosophical topic with varying opinions about its possibility. The Bhagavad-gita is clear about it – life is eternal, unimpeded by death.

dehino ’smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati

“As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change.” (Gita 2.13)

Before we discuss this further, it helps to ponder about life before death. Not only is this a more immediately relevant concern, but, in fact, this analysis forms the basis of any discussion on the afterlife. The before holds the key to the after.

Life Is Nonmaterial

What characterizes life? If life is just about pumping of the heart and activity of the brain, then absence of these two can be called death. But life is more than the functioning of an electrochemical, mechanical system; life is about consciousness – about thinking, feeling, desiring. Life is about the ability to perceive. Consciousness is what differentiates a man from a machine, a living being from a dead body.

No characteristic of matter (atoms, molecules, electrons, etc.) suggests that it can be the source of consciousness or the seat of perception. What, or who, is it that perceives or is conscious? For example, a periscope helps me see beyond a high wall, but I can see not because of the periscope, but because I have eyes that can see. The periscope is merely the medium through which the light rays reach my eyes. Similarly, my eyes are merely an arrangement of atoms that allows light to pass through. I see what I see, not because of the atomic arrangement of my eyes, but because I have the ability to perceive and make sense of the incoming light.

That “I” is the soul. I can see, hear, feel, think, will, etc., only because I (the soul) have these abilities. These perceptive abilities that characterize consciousness are the inherent qualities of the soul. Since matter does not have these abilities, we understand that the soul is unlike matter. The soul is nonmaterial; it is spiritual. The Bhagavad-gita emphasizes the nonmaterial nature of the soul:

nainam chindanti shastrani
nainam dahati pavakah
na chainam kledayanty apo
na shoshayati marutah

“The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.” (Gita 2.23)

achchedyo ’yam adahyo ’yam
akledyo ’shoshya eva cha
nityah sarva-gatah sthanur
achalo ’yam sanatanah

“This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same.” (Gita 2.24)

Essentially these verses emphasize that the soul, the conscious resident of the body, is unaffected by material forces. This is because it is not in the jurisdiction of matter; it is nonmaterial.

Life in a Dead Body

The soul does not depend on matter for its fundamental abilities of perception. In fact, its fundamental abilities to perceive are conditioned by the nature and state of the body that it occupies.

shrotram chakshuh sparshanam cha
rasanam ghranam eva cha
adhishthaya manash chayam
vishayan upasevate

“The living entity, thus taking another gross body, obtains a certain type of ear, eye, tongue, nose and sense of touch, which are grouped about the mind. He thus enjoys a particular set of sense objects.” (Gita 15.9) For example, going back to the periscope example, how well I can see beyond the high wall depends on how clean the lens of the periscope is. Even if my eyesight is perfect, a dirty lens will hamper my perception. Thus, to define life in terms of a pumping heart and an active brain is like defining eyesight in terms of the condition of the periscope. Just as my fundamental ability to see does not depend on the periscope, the soul does not depend on the body for any of its fundamental abilities.

Since the soul, characterized by consciousness, does not depend on anything that makes up the body while it is in the body, we understand that the soul does not need the body for its existence. The body is merely a lump of matter; it is always dead. Life is when a soul occupies a body and animates it; death is when the soul moves on to leave behind a dead lump of matter – the body.

Life exists not because of a functioning body, but despite being in an inherently dead body. If life exists even before death, it surely exists after death.

Life After Death

When we understand that the soul leaves behind the dead body, we may intuitively believe that it is then totally free. But this is not true. The soul retains its subtle body even after shedding the gross body. The subtle body is the combination of the materially conditioned mind, intelligence, and ego. The mind is a reservoir of thoughts, memories, and desires. The intelligence is the ability to choose. The ego is what the soul thinks itself to be. Just as the ability to see is a fundamental aspect of the soul, so are mind, intelligence, and ego. A materially conditioned ego causes the soul to identify itself with a specific material gross and subtle body, for example, “I am an Indian urban sophisticated human being.” The intelligence and mind get conditioned according to this conditioned ego. The real situation of the conditioned soul is that of a soul transmigrating from one temporary body to another.

The state of the subtle body at the time of death determines which type of gross body the soul will get next. This is known as the process of transmigration of the soul from one body to another.

yam yam vapi smaran bhavam
tyajaty ante kalevaram
tam tam evaiti kaunteya
sada tad-bhava-bhavita

“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kunti, that state he will attain without fail.” (Gita 8.6) Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport: “The process of changing one’s nature at the critical moment of death is here explained. . . . How can one die in the proper state of mind? . . . Of course, one’s thoughts during the course of one’s life accumulate to influence one's thoughts at the moment of death, so this life creates one’s next life.”

Life Without Death

Total freedom, known as liberation (mukti), is possible when the subtle body gets dissolved by spiritual practices – in other words, when the soul escapes the process of transmigration from one material body to another due to being free from material contamination.

A materially contaminated soul is under the influence of the three modes of material nature – sattvarajas, and tamas. When the soul desires to seek enjoyment away from God, Krishna, it suffers in the material world, where the three modes of nature influence everything. Material nature – maya – is an energy of Lord Krishna and cannot be overcome unless one takes shelter of Him. Taking shelter of Krishna is the process of bhakti-yoga.

daivi hy esha guna-mayi
mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyant
mayam etam taranti te

“This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it. (Gita 7.14) When the subtle body is thus dissolved, death does not lead to another gross body. Death becomes the gateway to an eternal deathless life in one’s original spiritual form. Thus, life before death determines life after death. An ignorant materialistic life leads to death after death in different material bodies, while an enlightened spiritual life of devotion to Krishna leads to a deathless eternal life in the spiritual world with Krishna and His innumerable spiritually perfect associates. This is Krishna’s promise.

tasmat sarveshu kaleshu
mam anusmara yudhya cha
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
mam evaishyasy asamshayah

“Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Krishna and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt.” (Gita 8.7)

This perfect choice of life before death leads one to a perfect life without death.

Sunday, June 6, 2021

What Maya is Not

This article appeared in the September 2020 issue of the Back To Godhead India Edition and in the March/April 2021 issue of the Back to Godhead International Edition.


What Māyā Is Not

We can get a clearer picture of what Kṛṣṇa’s deluding energy is by understanding what it is not.

 

Śrī Īśopaniṣad (Mantra 11) states that we need to understand both knowledge and ignorance to get out of material entanglement, bhava-bandhana.

vidyāṁ cāvidyāṁ ca yas
tad vedobhayaṁ saha
avidyāyā mṛtyuṁ tīrtvā
vidyāyāmṛtam aśnute

“Only one who can learn the process of nescience and that of transcendental knowledge side by side can transcend the influence of repeated birth and death and enjoy the full blessings of immortality.”

Understanding what knowledge is not accentuates our understanding of what knowledge is. According to the Vedas, advancement in material knowledge is advancement in ignorance, avidyā. Knowledge of the soul is vidyā. Without this understanding, one could end up dedicating one’s life to avidyā, misunderstanding it to be vidyā.

Understanding māyā is an important aspect of knowledge. Māyā covers our knowledge by using limited relative reality to blind us to the unlimited absolute reality. Being wary of māyā protects us against falling into its traps. To precisely understand māyā, let us understand what māyā is not.


 Māyā Is Not Māyā

Śrīla Prabhupāda often translates māyā as the “illusory energy of the Lord.” Let us understand this phrase in terms of its constituents. Māyā is an energy. It exists, but it is not independent; it is possessed and controlled by the Lord. The word illusory can be misleading. It means “not real,” but here it refers to the nature of this energy – “illusion causing.”

The following verse from the Bhagavad-gītā (7.14) confirms this understanding of māyā. To cross beyond māyā is to get out of the illusion created by it.

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te

 “This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.”

Thus māyā is not māyā (unreal), but it causes māyā (illusion). Less cryptically, māyā (the energy) is not māyā (an illusion), but its role is to put the conditioned souls of this world into māyā (illusion).

 

The World Is Not Māyā

The material world exists; it is not an illusion. However, it is controlled by the illusion-causing energy, also known as the material energy, māyā. Māyā controls every aspect of this world using its three guṇassattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, and tamo-guṇa. This material world deludes the conditioned soul into believing that matter is all that exists. Only in this sense is the material world called an illusion.


What Is the Nature of the Illusion Caused by Māyā?

Scripture gives the example of misidentifying a rope for a snake. Both ropes and snakes exist; they are not imaginary, false entities. But to see a rope and mistake it for a snake is an example of illusion. More generally, illusion is to accept the nature of some aspect of reality to be something other than what it really is. The greatest of all illusions is to believe that existence has only the material aspect, whereas in fact the spiritual is the cause of the material. This illusion leads to the illusion of considering oneself the temporary material body and not the eternal spiritual soul. Then follows the illusion that material sense enjoyment is the source of happiness, when actually it is the source of misery. Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā (5.22):

ye hi saṁsparśa-jā bhogā
duḥkha-yonaya eva te
ādy-antavantaḥ kaunteya
na teṣu ramate budhaḥ

“An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kuntī, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them.”

Another branch of illusion is the conviction that everything happens by chance, with no conscious controller. This idea leads to the dogmatic conclusion that even if there may be strong indicators of the working of a conscious intelligence, the ultimate cause is inert, unconscious matter. If matter alone exists, this can be the only explanation.

Yet another sinister illusion is that we are in complete control of our actions and their results, even though they are majorly under the control of material nature.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate

“The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature.” (Gītā 3.27).

This is how strong māyā is – it blinds us to blatantly obvious truths. Life after life, immersed in illusion, the soul struggles to satisfy the dictates of the temporary material senses.

puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi
bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān
kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo ’sya
sad-asad-yoni-janmasu

“The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil among various species.” (Gītā 13.22)

 

Activity and Desire Are Not Māyā

Some philosophers impulsively conclude that since every material desire and activity is induced by māyā, the way to transcend māyā is to stop desiring and acting. But suppressing the symptoms does not fix the root cause. Māyā’s influence is so deeply rooted in our conditioned consciousness that we cannot just wish it away. The Gītā (3.5) states that we are forced to work (and desire) in a particular way by our specific material conditioning, our svabhāva. Merely giving up activity further complicates things.

karmendriyāṇi saṁyamya
ya āste manasā smaran
indriyārthān vimūḍhātmā
mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate

“One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.” (Gītā 3.6)

Purificatory activities enjoined in scripture are the means to get out of illusion. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains this in his purport to Bhagavad-gītā 3.5:

It is not a question of embodied life, but it is the nature of the soul to be always active. Without the presence of the spirit soul, the material body cannot move. The body is only a dead vehicle to be worked by the spirit soul, which is always active and cannot stop even for a moment. As such, the spirit soul has to be engaged in the good work of Kṛṣṇa consciousness; otherwise it will be engaged in occupations dictated by illusory energy. In contact with material energy, the spirit soul acquires material modes, and to purify the soul from such affinities it is necessary to engage in the prescribed duties enjoined in the śāstras.

Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth. He is the master and controller of māyā. Surrendering to Kṛṣṇa means to act and desire according to His desire. Such activities are not māyā – they are spiritual and liberating.

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te

“This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.” (Gītā 7.14)

 

Kṛṣṇa Is Not Māyā

Another almost ubiquitous misunderstanding is that all forms are material and hence temporary, and that all variety and relationships are also material, or in other words, conducted by the three modes of nature. This conclusion arises only if one ignores the existence of the supreme transcendental Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead – Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā
mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam
paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto
mama bhūta-maheśvaram

“Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature as the Supreme Lord of all that be.” (Gītā 9.11).

Śrīla Prabhupāda gives a stunning purport to this verse. 

Here is an excerpt:

He [Kṛṣṇa] claims that the material energy, although very powerful, is under His control, and whoever surrenders unto Him can get out of the control of this material energy. If a soul surrendered to Kṛṣṇa can get out of the influence of material energy, then how can the Supreme Lord, who conducts the creation, maintenance and annihilation of the whole cosmic nature, have a material body like us? So this conception of Kṛṣṇa is complete foolishness. Foolish persons, however, cannot conceive that the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, appearing just like an ordinary man, can be the controller of all the atoms and of the gigantic manifestation of the universal form. The biggest and the minutest are beyond their conception, so they cannot imagine that a form like that of a human being can simultaneously control the infinite and the minute.

It’s true that the forms, variety, and relationships of this world are māyā-induced. But Kṛṣṇa’s form, the variety in the spiritual realm, relationships with Kṛṣṇa, and activities done for His service are eternal truths, outside the jurisdiction of māyā. Even engaging our temporary material bodies in relation to Kṛṣṇa is a nonmaterial act because such activities are the eternal function of the soul.


Then What Is Māyā?

Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth. Everything else emanates from Him and exists only because of His desire.

mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat
kiñcid asti dhanañjaya
mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ
sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva

 “O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.” (Gītā 7.7).

Thus, māyā means to see anything as having an existence independent of Kṛṣṇa.

ṛte ’rthaṁ yat pratīyeta
na pratīyeta cātmani
tad vidyād ātmano māyāṁ
yathābhāso yathā tamaḥ

“O Brahmā, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, has no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to be in darkness.” (Bhāgavatam 2.9.34).

Śrīla Prabhupāda states in the purport: 

[I]t has already been concluded that in any stage of the cosmic manifestation – its appearance, its sustenance, its growth, its interactions of different energies, its deterioration and its disappearance – all has its basic relation with the existence of the Personality of Godhead. And as such, whenever there is forgetfulness of this prime relation with the Lord, and whenever things are accepted as real without being related to the Lord, that conception is called a product of the illusory energy of the Lord.

Thus, starting from what māyā is not, we have arrived at what māyā is. Real knowledge then is to dovetail everything in relation to Lord Kṛṣṇa. This is called yoga-māyā, or the energy of union. This is the platform of the Absolute Truth. Only this is not māyā.


Sunday, September 6, 2020

The Temple Dome

My first trip to Sri Jagannath Puri was in November 2018. It was an unforgettable experience and inspired a couple of poems. This is one of them. 


The  Temple Dome

As I walked out of the narrow lane, there I saw:



Rising into the bright sky,

Majestic presence, stunning sight,

I gasped, and let out a loud cry,

Attained I had the success of life.


A storm of thoughts raged within,

Down I went, I gave my heart,

No end I found to my good fortune, 

I was in front of Lord Jagannath.


As if a burden of countless lives,

Had been lifted from my heavy heart,

I felt light, I roared and roared,

Jai Jagannath Jai Jai Jagannath!


For there it rose, the Temple dome,

It's intricate beauty captured my heart,

The Wheel atop of infinite fame,

The dancing flag doing its part.


Let them be my constant meditation,

The Chakra, the flag, the Temple dome, 

O Lord give me this benediction,

And Your Holy Names to take me Home.

Knowledge is to know Jagannath!

My first trip to Sri Jagannath Puri was in November 2018. It was an unforgettable experience and inspired a couple of poems. This is one of them. 

Knowledge is to know Jagannath!

-- Nov 6 2018. Late night at Sri Jagannath Puri Dham



Knowledge means the knowledge of Bhakti,

Because the highest knowledge is to know Bhakti,

Knowing Bhakti means knowing the Lord,

Knowing the Bhakta, and the process of Bhakti. 


Knowing means to know the complete Truth,

Not just what is not, but also what is so,

The Supreme Person is the Absolute Truth,

Knowing anything else is to not quite know.


To dismiss Bhakti in the name of knowledge,

Is the mere arrogance of the pseudo-knower,

His childish grudge against the loving Lord,

Keeps him bereft of knowledge forever. 


Knowledge is to know Jagannath,

The highest knowledge is Lord Jagannath,

The process is to serve Jagannath,

By chanting His name Jai Jagannath!



Sunday, August 16, 2020

O Resplendent Lord (Janmashtami Prayer - 2020)

O Resplendent Lord!

-- A Janmashtami prayer, 2020.

O Resplendent Lord,
To relieve us of our plight,
You appeared that frightening night,
At the stroke of midnight.

O Mysterious Lord,
For missions big and small,
You appeared that momentous night,
Bewildering one and all.

O Tender Lord,
To soothe our aching heart
You appeared that auspicious night,
Enrapturing pastimes to start.

O Affectionate Lord,
For your love for everyone,
You appeared that thunderous night,
To soon lift dear Gowardhan.

O My Dear Dear Lord,
Will You ever appear in my heart?
I sincere pray that you might,
To never ever depart?


Rappelling – Faith over Fear

Rappelling – Faith over Fear

Rappelling is a mountaineering technique used for a controlled descent off a vertical drop, such as a rock face, using a rope. To descend safely, rappelled use a variety of techniques to increase the friction on the rope to the point where it can be controlled comfortably. I recently got an opportunity to rappel down a 40 feet wall when I had gone for a team outing with colleagues. Those fifteen minutes gave me emotional experiences and philosophical insights enough to pen down this poem.



As I climbed up the stairs,

No one but my mind with me,

My throbbing heart fluttered wild,

A raging storm no-one could see.

 

Heavy legs, a step at a time,

Felt like ages, but it came to soon,

Moment of dread, you have come?

Will you shove me to my doom?

 

A chill ran down my spine,

My heart stopped, I gasped for life,

Paralyzed I was by the stroke of fear,

Only a moment, but horrifying strife.

 

Don't look down, the captain said,

Trust me, you are fastened safe,

Calm the mind, a task at hand,

Look up, and keep the faith. 

 

I turned around, and stepped back,

Onto the edge of the precipice wall,

I leaned back and took position,

Only the ropes now would stall my fall.

 

A step at a time, a simple technique,

Calmed the nerves and lifted the heart,

Thrill at first, then peace and joy,

Even a jump or two quite smart.

 

As I touched down, there was relief,

But this taught me something deep,

Fear of the unknown is overcome,

Faith in the knower if we keep.

 

Faith opens the doors of our mind,

Rich experiences it does bring,

Remember this next time you face,

Fearful situations or just rappelling!


This poem is a short story about faith over fear. It's short, but it says a lot. Just like going down rappelling is a choice, going down the spiritual path is a choice. The initial steps could be full of turmoil due to fear. What will my life look like if I go down this path? What about my worldly life and attachments? Family? Job? But there is also the longing for experiencing something sublime, something that the heart longs for and that is promised by the spiritual path - peace, purpose, love. At some point in the journey, one comes at a juncture where we need to make the decision. And that's when the fear completely captures the heart. At these times, faith comes to the rescue.

Not blind faith, but reasonable faith. Before asking us to rappel down, the instructors had given us a lesson in rappelling - it's purpose, philosophy behind the technique, the strength of the ropes and the anchors, and so on. Then one of the instructors rappelled down himself demonstrating to us the technique and the safety mechanisms that will keep us very safe under all circumstances. Of course, accidents happen, but they can happen at home too. There was no rational reason for fear; but fear is often irrational, arising from forgotten experiences from the past. Faith in in the words and example of the instructors was our only gateway to the rappelling experience.

For some faith comes easily, for some not so. Different people are in different stages of their spiritual evolution - one of our colleagues just couldn’t garner enough faith to overcome his particular level of fear. But to understand spiritual life, one needs to start following it. There is no other way. Spirituality is an experience - it can be truly understood only by having it. The Bhagavad Gita provides a sound philosophical foundation for practicing spiritual life. And the sincere followers of the Bhagavad Gita provide the live examples. The culture of the Bhagavad Gita is of encouragement, not judgement. This provides the conducive environment in which to follow spirituality. This is the safety mechanism. Unless you do something as drastic as cut off the rope, you are safe.

Rich spiritual experiences are waiting for you if only you can tap into the power of faith, based on sound philosophical convictions, to overcome your hesitations regarding spiritual life. Keep the faith, you'll be safe.

Monday, July 13, 2020

Life Before Death

Life Before Death
Life After Death is a popular topic with varying opinions about its possibility. But what about life before death? What characterizes life? The answer to this question heavily influences our opinion about the possibility of life after death. And in fact, it decisively influences our definition of death too.
If life is just about pumping of the heart and activity of the brain, then absence of these two can be called death. But life is more than the functioning of an electro-chemical mechanical system; life is about consciousness – about thinking, feeling, desiring. Life is about the ability to perceive. Consciousness is what differentiates a man from a machine, a live human from a dead one.
No characteristic of matter (atoms, molecules, electrons, etc.) suggests that it can be the source of consciousness or the seat of perception. What, or who is it, that perceives or is conscious? For example, a periscope helps me see beyond a high wall, but I can see not because of the periscope, but because I have eyes that can see. The periscope is merely the medium through which the light rays are reaching my eyes. Similarly, the eyes of my body are merely the arrangements of atoms that allow light to pass through. I see what I see, not because of the atomic arrangement of my eyes, but because I have the ability to perceive and make sense of the incoming light.
That I is the soul. I can see, hear, feel, think, will, etc. only because I (the soul) have these abilities. These perceptive abilities that characterize consciousness are the inherent qualities of the soul. Since matter does not have these abilities, we understand that the soul is unlike matter. The soul is non-material, it is spiritual.
The soul does not depend on matter for its fundamental abilities of perception. In fact, its fundamental abilities to perceive are conditioned by the nature and state of the body that it occupies. For example, going back to the periscope example, how well I can see beyond the high wall depends on how clean the lens of the periscope is. Even if my eyesight is perfect, a dirty lens will hamper my perception. Thus, to define life in terms of a pumping heart and an active brain is like defining eyesight in terms of the condition of the periscope. Just like my fundamental ability to see is not dependent on the periscope, the soul does not depend on the body for any of its fundamental abilities.
Since the soul, characterized by consciousness, does not depend on anything that makes up the body while it’s in the body, we understand that the soul does not need the body for its existence. The body is merely a lump of matter; it is always dead. Life is when a soul occupies a body and animates it; death is when the soul moves on to leave behind a dead lump of matter – the body.
Life exists not because of a functioning body, but despite being in an inherently dead body. If life exists even before death, it definitely can exist after death.