 the priming period. Also, a preferable mode is one wherein, the pulse having the erasing pulse and being applied to the scanning electrode has a first priming period, second priming period, address period, and sustaining period, and wherein the erasing pulse is fed during the first priming period and is made up of a priming pulse which causes a maximum potential difference between the scanning electrode and the sustaining electrode being adjacent to each other to reach at least priming voltage in order to cause priming discharge to occur during the second priming period and of a second erasing pulse used to reduce wall charges 