Constructing the basic operators of scattering theory on and off the mass shell in terms of spatially bounded stationary wave packets or proper differentials is described. For this, we use a technique based on a certain scheme for discretizing the continuum. Finite-dimensional approximations for the Green's functions and T-matrix, which are first found here, are immediately constructed for any energy using a single simple diagonalization of the Hamiltonian matrix in an L2-type complete basis. We show that the developed approach leads to a convenient finite-dimensional representation of the scattering operators in the basis of the wave functions of a harmonic oscillator. The method allows an immediate extension to the problem of three and more bodies.