Android Architecture Component: How to insert repository parameter

In a viewmodel class, I've seen sample codes where the constructor takes in a repository as a parameter. Like so:

public SampleViewModel(SampleRepository sampleRepository){ ... }

But in the activity, you use this line to create a viewmodel class ViewModelProviders.of(this).get(SampleViewModel.class). How do you pass a repository as a parameter to the viewmodel? I also come across mentioning of "dependency injection". Being an inexperience programmer, can anyone advice if DI is related to my question?