Can material things buy happiness?

Yes, it can. However, the happiness gained from material things is always temporary.
Happiness which once it comes is not followed by misery again is called real happiness. But such is not the case with happiness received from material things. Whilst one continues to seek happiness from material items, that happiness, by nature, is bound to be short-lived. A quest for some other material thing will soon follow, thus creating unhappiness.

Also, one feels happy procuring some material thing; but all too often, it happens that in no time he becomes tired of that thing. For example, one is greatly delighted to buy the latest phone, and after some time their interest in that phone begins to wane either because there is a newer model or the fashion trend has changed, or you are bored of it.
Thus, the happiness derived from worldly things is always short-lived. In no time, our search for happiness starts all over again.

Yes, if you want some lasting worldly happiness, following are some of the good ways, as prescribed by Gnani, the Enlightened Ones:

Make a strong inner intent that you don’t what to hurt any living being to the slightest extent through your mind, speech and body. This will fetch you genuine and lasting worldly happiness.

Then, try making others happy. When you give happiness, you will in turn receive happiness and if you give unhappiness to others, you will receive unhappiness - such is Nature’s rule. Then why not give happiness to all, isn’t it?!

And say, someone becomes unhappy because of us, we shall immediately seek forgiveness from God. With true repentance in our heart, we will apologise for our mistake before God of our faith, and will firmly decide, “I don’t want to cause unhappiness to anybody through my negative thoughts, words or actions.” This is called pratikraman!

As we intend to give happiness to others, gradually the effects of this positive intent shall be such that we will in reaction receive happiness automatically. There is the presence of God in every living being in this world. So if you have the slightest inner intent to hurt any living being, you will instantly bind bad karma for this. And when you have the intent to give or you actually give the slightest happiness to others, you give happiness to God, for which you will bind good karma, and as a result, you will experience happiness in your worldly life.

Real happiness ought to be an innate part of us, meaning, the Self!
Furthermore, Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, the Enlightened being, shows us the way to real and permanent happiness. He describes, “What does Absolute Happiness mean? The happiness that arises without any effort is one’s own happiness.”

He also opens up the gateway to this happiness when he suggests, “Where there is no falsely attributed happiness at all, where there is innate (natural) happiness of the Self; there liberation exists. Through Gnani, the Enlightened One, one is able to attain this eternal element i.e. the Soul.”
Thus, it is very much possible to experience permanent happiness, without depending on anything or anyone external. And that is from the knowledge of the Self (Self-Realization).

After Self-Realization, happiness flows naturally from within...
And as one’s understanding of the Self grows, so does one’s inner happiness too. The Self is the Pure Soul residing within the body. During Self-Realization, Gnani, the Enlightened One, graces us with the experiential understanding of ‘who am I’, in the light of which one begins to see things the way they really are. Thereafter, we find such abundant happiness in the Self, the Soul, that the lust for temporary happiness in material things disappears on its own.

So come, let’s go to Akram Gnani and procure the invaluable real lasting happiness of the Self in just two hours only; and that too for free; yes, there’s no material cost attached to it!

To know more: https://www.dadabhagwan.org/discover-happiness/