What's wrong with 'A self-sustaining (through an external energy source) chemical process characterized by the existence of far-from-equilibrium chemical species and reactions.'?
Are you sure that all life is chemical? There's a common belief here that a sufficiently good computer simulation of a human being counts as being that person (and presumably, a sufficiently good computer simulation of an animal counts as being an animal, though I don't think I've seen that discussed), and that's more electrical than chemical, I think.
I have a notion that there could be life based on magnetic fields in stars, though I'm not sure how sound that is.
If it's worth saying, but not worth its own post (even in Discussion), then it goes here.