Mortification as an aid to Enlightenment in all religions

The Veerashaiva Saint Basavanna (1105-1168) wrote a famous Vachana, which says in essence:

Please make me lame, O God
So that I cannot move around.
Please make me blind, O God
So that I cannot see hither & thither
Please make me deaf, O God
So that I cannot hear vain talk.
Please make me think only of You, O God.

The Vaishnavite Saint Purandara Dasa (1550) composed a "Ugabhoga" which says:

Hari make me love You
If loved, make me beg
If begged, deny me wood (for warmth)
If wood given, deny me food
If food given, deny me clothing
If clothing given, deny me shelter
If shelter denied, give me shelter
In your Divine feet, Purandara Vittala

Julian of Norwich (1342-1416) desired from God three special graces:

1. Recollection of Christ's Passion (Crucifixion).
2. A near mortal bodily sickness, because she wanted to experience all the pangs of dying as a purification, so that afterwards she would live more entirely for God.
3. Three wounds:
     i. Wound of true contrition
    ii. Wound of living compassion
   iii. Wound of longing with all her will for God.             

The first two she asked conditionally - if it were God's will, the third she besought urgently & unconditionally.

In May 1373, when she was 31, all three graces were granted to her.

Rabia of Basra (8th century Muslim Saint) prayed:

"O, God, if I worship You in fear of hell, burn me in hell;
If I worship You in hope of paradise, exclude me from paradise;
But if I worship You for Your own sake, withhold not Your Everlasting Beauty."

She is supposed to have attained self-realisation & was able to perform miracles.

Cutting across space & time, these four Saints of different denominations, ask for mortification as an aid to Enlightenment.

Sources: 1. Kannada Kavya Sanchaya
                2. Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich.
                3. Islamic History.