death is basically existance in samsara, where all created things arise and cease. every conventionally labelled event is a cycle of birth and death
imo, 'death' literally means the 'death' of the sense of identity, i.e., spiritual death. for example, you learn you have 3 months to live, due to cancer, and your mind falls into despair. this is 'death' due to loss of identity. what 'dies' is identity (rather than the physical body).
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if you are a mostly a jerk and die in an unwholesome mind state with deep sankaras from evil deeds and with subsequent misery, what difference does it make when the physical body decomposes? how do you know that all 'self' dies when the physical body dies? have you died? is this existance your only chance to realise the deathless?
buddhism suggests there is no such thing as a tangible 'self'. instead, there is only a sense of 'self' mind created from ignorance. you obviously know the Dependent Arising (but not as Brahm teaches the sheeple). the real deal that gives rise to 'birth' of 'self' assumption as Buddha taught:
...he assumes form to be the self. That assumption is a fabrication. Now what is the cause, what is the origination, what is the birth, what is the coming-into-existence of that fabrication? To an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person, touched by that which is felt born of contact with ignorance, craving arises. That fabrication is born of that. And that fabrication is inconstant, fabricated, dependently co-arisen. That craving... That feeling... That contact... That ignorance is inconstant, fabricated, dependently co-arisen.
evil sankharas from past karma do not necessarily have to manufacture 'self' when it is eventyually understood it is ignorance that is the 'doer' of evil karma rather than "I" or "me"
compassionate Buddhists teach the best place to realise the deathless nirvana is when in the hell realm of dukkha
as for realising the Deathless, the scriptures seems to suggest acknowledging the finality of death is more fruitful than believing in reincarnation
google 'AN 6.19 Maranassati Sutta' & decide for yourself what is suggests
