WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

rudiments
    n 1: a statement of fundamental facts or principles [syn:
         basics, rudiments]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

23 Moby Thesaurus words for "rudiments":
   abecedarium, abecedary, alphabet, and arithmetic, basics,
   elementary education, elements, essentials, first principles,
   first steps, fundamentals, grammar, hornbook, induction,
   initiation, introduction, outlines, primer, principia, principles,
   propaedeutic, reading, writing