A plasma display panel includes display cells disposed in matrix at cross points of a plurality of common electrodes and a plurality of data electrodes. In each of the display cells, data writing discharge and sustaining discharge are performed to emit light. Brightness is controlled by applying a sustaining pulse having a frequency higher than &mgr;iV/(&pgr;d2) between the sustaining electrodes, where &mgr;i is an ion mobility of the discharge gas filled in the display cell, V is a maximum value of the applied voltage, and d is a distance between the sustaining electrodes performing the sustaining discharge.