A method for driving a plasma display panel is provided in which initialization
is performed securely and the background light emission is reduced. As an operation
for the initialization, an obtuse waveform pulse is applied to all cells three
times. In the first obtuse waveform pulse application, discharge is generated only
in the previously lighted cell, so that the wall voltage thereof approaches the
wall voltage in the previously unlighted cell. In the second obtuse waveform pulse
application, discharge is generated in the previously lighted cell and in the previously
unlighted cell, so that the wall voltage in these cells changes to a value within
an appropriate range. In the third obtuse waveform pulse application, discharge
is generated in the previously lighted cell and in the previously unlighted cell,
so that the wall voltage of these cells changes to a preset value.
