To a large degree, this discussion of the use of the word "effortless" is one of semantics. I can vouch for the observations of  above. Maharishi used the word effortless repeatedly to describe the TM technique. On one or two occasions that I witnessed, when pressed by a questioner, he admitted that some faintest attention is employed, but continued to insist that no effort is involved. In the West, effort means "trying." It is not a faint thing such as Maharishi was describing as faintest attention or "effortless effort." So he used the word repeatedly to signify that no trying to do anything is involved in TM. It is a simple, easy thing that requires only faint attention, no effort. This is not a question of academic definitions. It is a practical question of how to practice the technique. If  has some reference about the TM technique specifically, then we can examine that in the context of this section and determine if the information is appropriate to add to the article. Otherwise, this discussion is diverging from what seems to be the main intent of the articleto convey information about the TM technique as seen by it's originator and as instructed to and practiced by those who do the technique.