The World Honored One is in the palace in the Heaven of the Comfort from Others’ Transformations. Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas from the other directions arrive to draw near to the Buddha. Vajra Treasury Bodhisattva receives the spiritual aid of Vajra Treasury Buddhas and expounds the names of the Ten Grounds(Stages).

1. The Ground of Happiness
2. The Ground of Leaving Filth
3. The Ground of Emitting Light
4. The Ground of Blazing Wisdom
5. The Ground of Invincibility
6. The Ground of Manifestation
7. The Ground of Travelling Far
8. The Ground of Not Moving
9. The Ground of Good Wisdom
10. The Ground of the Dharma Cloud

Moon of Liberation Bodhisattva earnestly requests the Dharma three times. The Buddha emits light from between his brows. Sounds from the light requesting for Dharma. Vajra Treasury Bodhisattva proclaims the Ten Grounds.

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The first is the Ground of Happiness. In the modern age, science has become the new god. Science has done a lot for the world. It has invented and created many things to increase our convenience and efficiency. What science can achieve is to come up with the means for realizing our desires. For example, in the modern and post-modern world, people are infatuated with speed. To meet that insatiable greed and fascination for speed, it has created calculators and computers. People may turn to the creations and inventions of science in an attempt to ease their restlessness, misery, and frustration. But, that only aggravates their unhappiness and discontentment because the constant pursuit of our desires sets up a habit that enslaves us. We become addicted and become more and more intent on getting our desires met. Science keeps inventing things which can enable people to get what they want at a faster and faster pace. However, there is danger in speeding even if you are not driving a car. The many inventions of science are very impressive and sophisticated but, we are becoming increasingly dependent on them. As our dependence on machines increase, our tolerance and patience decrease.

Simeon Strunsky says,
‘Once a man would spend a week patiently waiting if he missed a stage coach, but now he rages if he misses the first section of a revolving door.’

Are we really making progress through science?
Stanislaw Lec asks, ‘Is it progress if a cannibal uses knife and fork?’

Science has also caused tremendous and irrevocable harm. It has also invented many new ways of eliminating one’s enemies more effectively. It has bestowed man with the power to completely devastate a nation, or destroy the entire world. That is because science is not grounded on morality. Bertrand Russell says that science cannot contain any genuine ethical sentences.

Someone wrote, ‘If we continue to develop our technology without wisdom or prudence, our servant may prove to be our executioner.’
Education has contributed towards declining morals and values. Increasing literacy has contributed towards spiritual poverty. Why? Confucius says, ‘In ancient times men studied for the sake of self-improvement; today they study to impress others.’
Education in the modern and post modern world aims at activating and developing people’s competitive spirit. It is designed to teach students how to earn a high salary, how to become famous and successful. That means, education teaches student how to be selfish, how to pursue personal advantages, and how to become very egotistical. Can that lead to contentment or happiness?
Both education and science seem to have little success in making  us better human beings, it failed to teach us how to differentiate clearly between our needs and our greed. For that reason, even in affluent countries, there is widespread spiritual poverty.

I think it was Mohandas Gandhi who said,
‘There is enough in this world for everyone’s needs but not for everyone’s greed.’

Helen Keller was blind, but she had a keen perception of things. She said,
‘Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.’

A story from the book on ‘Treasure of Dharma,’ says:
“Once, two very old Brahmins, 120 years of age, came to see the Buddha. Having saluted him, they sat down at one side and spoke to the Buddha thus,
‘We are Brahmins, Master Gotama, frail and old, 120 years of age. We have not done anything that is noble and meritorious, nothing that can reduce our fear. Please show us the path to happiness.’

The Buddha replied, ‘Truly, O Brahmins, you are frail and old, 120 years of age, you have not done anything noble and meritorious, anything that can reduce your fear. This world is swept away by old age, by sickness and death. Brahmins, self-control in deeds, self-control in words and self-control in thoughts, will provide you shelter and refuge. Your life is nearly spent; brief is your life span. No one is immune from old age. Being mindful of death, perform good deeds that lead to happiness. For one who performs meritorious deeds and is restrained in body, speech and thought, death brings happiness.”
Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua said in his commentary to the Amitabha Sutra,
‘Sutras are also food for the spirit and have many uses. When you’re melancholy or depressed, recite Sutras, for they explain the doctrines in a wonderful way which dispels your gloom and opens your heart.’

Everyone wants to be happy. No one welcomes misery or enjoys suffering. And yet, in the quest for happiness, people often find sadness and discontentment instead.
What is real happiness? Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua explains,
‘True happiness is not worldly happiness. Rather, it is a happiness that is always present in your own mind, which you need not look for outside. If you seek outside, you won’t find the ultimate happiness. If you want the ultimate happiness, you must have considerable cultivation, considerable learning, and considerable attainment. Only then will there be peace and joy in your own nature, which is the real happiness. If you seek for happiness outside, you may attain it, but it will only last for a moment. If you fail to attain it, you will be full of afflictions. If you are insatiably greedy, you worry about getting things, and then you worry about losing them. None of this is true happiness. True happiness comes from not seeking anything. When you reach the state of seeking nothing, you have no worries. Seeking nothing, you have true happiness, and your nature is stable and tranquil…
‘The enjoyment we pursue in this world - eating, drinking, making merry, driving an expensive car, owning a plane, or buying a ship and taking a cruise - Is this happiness? That is just wasting your energy and wasting your wisdom. True wisdom cannot be found in external things….
‘What do I call happiness? Not fighting is happiness. Not being greedy is happiness. Seeking nothing is happiness. Not being selfish is happiness. Not wanting to benefit yourself is happiness even more. Not telling lies - that’s true happiness. If you lie, you will feel remorse in your heart because you know you have deceived someone, and there will be a stain on your conscience.’

Why are Bodhisattvas on the First Ground of Happiness so blissful? Because:

1.  They are always mindful of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.
2.  They take delight in listening to the Dharma.
3.  They are always vigorous and enthusiastic.
4.  They do not give rise to afflictions or trouble others.
5.  They always bestow kindness upon living beings.
6.  They are very happy that they can benefit living beings.
7.  They are pure.
8.  They always draw near to Buddhas.
9.  They are no longer afraid.
10.  They are selfless.
11.  They are not selfish or greedy.
12.  They take delight in giving.
13.  They regard being greatly compassionate as their most important duty.
14.  They have profound faith.