In the Rattanakosin Buddha statues, the animal figures appearing on the divine cloth were once mistakenly thought to represent the zodiac signs. This confusion arose because some parts of the statue bases are traditionally adorned with the 12 zodiac motifs, leading people to assume the animals on the divine cloth belonged to the same concept, although they actually represent a different symbolism.
The animal figures on the divine cloth include the rooster, naga, turtle, cow, and lion or royal lion, symbolizing the five Buddhas of the Bhadrakalpa era, according to the belief in the Five Buddhas, arranged in the following order.
The rooster represents Kakusandha Buddha, the first Buddha of the Bhadrakalpa era and a Buddha of the past.
The naga symbolizes Konagamana Buddha, the second Buddha of the Bhadrakalpa era and a Buddha of the past.
The turtle stands for Kassapa Buddha, the third Buddha of the Bhadrakalpa era and a Buddha of the past.
The cow represents Gautama Buddha, the current Buddha and the fourth Buddha of the Bhadrakalpa era.
The lion or royal lion symbolizes Maitreya Buddha, the fifth Buddha who, according to Buddhist belief, will attain enlightenment in the future.
Therefore, finding the images of the rooster, naga, turtle, cow, or lion on the divine cloth of the Rattanakosin Buddha statues directly relates to the concept of the Five Buddhas and reflects Buddhist beliefs that artisans incorporated into the statue decorations.