… At Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time nuns ordained every year; there were not sufficient dwellings. People … spread it about saying: “How can these nuns ordain every year? There are not sufficient dwellings.” Nuns heard these people who … spread it about. Those who were modest nuns … spread it about, saying: “How can these nuns ordain every year?” …

“Is it true, as it is said, monks, that nuns ordain every year?”

“It is true, lord.”

The enlightened one, the lord, rebuked them, saying:

“How, monks, can nuns ordain every year? It is not, monks, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … this rule of raining:

“Whatever nun should ordain every year, there is an offence of expiation.”

Whatever means: … nun is to be understood in this case.

Every year means: annually.

Should ordain means: … and an offence of wrong-doing for the group and for the woman teacher.

There is no offence if she ordains in the alternate (years); if she is mad, if she is the first wrong-doer.