Visuddhimagga VIII-195

Kīvaciraṃ panetaṃ gaṇetabbanti?

然而需要好长的时间来数（出入息）呢？

Ñ(VIII,195): But how long is he to go on counting?

Yāva vinā gaṇanāya assāsapassāsārammaṇe sati santiṭṭhati.

直至不数[PTS 280] （出入息）亦能（自然）住立其念于出息入息的所缘为止。

Ñ: Until, without counting, [280] mindfulness remains settled on the in-breaths and out-breaths as its object.

Bahivisaṭavitakkavicchedaṃ katvā assāsapassāsārammaṇe satisaṇṭhāpanatthaṃyeva hi gaṇanāti.

因为数的目的只是断绝散乱于外面的寻（杂念）而住立其念于出息入息的所缘。

Ñ: For counting is simply a device for setting mindfulness on the in-breaths and out-breaths as object by cutting off the external dissipation of applied thoughts.