This Buddhist view of death is congruent with the concept of total brain death in the present discussion. The ceasing of the functioning of the high cortex does not constitute "death" in Buddhism. By recognizing that dying is a process and not an event such a total brain death view allows for a window of opportunity for the taking of organs for transplantation. It also provides protection against the pre-mature removal of organs. The ceasing of the functioning of the high cortex alone is only the death of the cortex and not of all other vital organs