In the sub-story “Working Through Pain” in “Batman: Gotham Knight”, there are flashbacks of Bruce Wayne (the alter-ego of Batman), during which he recalls how he sought a way to deal with his pain (physically, and more subtly, of suffering the loss of his parents to a criminal when he was young). The Indian spiritual teachers he first requested to be a student of however, refused him - as he was not looking for enlightenment or truth honestly. He probably wanted to transform his pain to strength, his grief for good. But even that was not a quest to be free from his suffering, as he clung on to it.

He encounters another teacher (Cassandra), who tells him that “Pain exists in two forms - exterior, that which is caused by forces we can't control [past created karma bearing fruit?], and interior, which we can [suffering from present attachment and aversion]. Both though, can be managed through will.” Bruce had researched pain-control techniques - including breathing control and hypnosis, but never looked into spiritual means - as he was denying his “interior”. He wanted to manage his pain, more than to end it. This is the pain that drives Batman to be who he is, to do what he does.

Cassandra reminds Bruce that pain always scars. I think what matters more, then, is that we learn from pain, that the scars remind us more of the lessons than the pain itself. She also teaches that “Pain cannot be overcome but be put in its place.” This is reminiscent of the First Noble Truth of Dukkha - that pain is inevitable, though suffering over it is avoidable. Bruce wanted to put pain where it could work for him. However, Cassandra tells him that “Pain doesn't work for you. You work through pain.” True indeed - for it is through deep realisation of the First Noble Truth that we work through the other three Noble Truths - till we arrive at liberation from all pain and suffering.