それはいわば生死の問題だ。

that (indicating an item or person near the listener, the action of the listener, or something on their mind); it; that time; then; there (indicating a place near the listener); you

topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis

so to speak; so to call it; as it were

life and death; samsara (cycle of death and rebirth); death

indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question

question (e.g. on a test); problem; problem (e.g. societal, political); question; issue; subject (e.g. of research); case; matter; question (i.e. doubt); public discussion; controversy; trouble; problem; inconvenience; difficulty

be; is; indicates past or completed action; indicates light imperative